Climate Trace: tool shows global origin of emissions launched by Al Gore at COP27

 

Australia’s emissions are almost double those of Egypt, according to a new global emissions tracker - Climate Trace - launched at COP27.

The Climate TRACE platform tracks greenhouse gas emissions from around the world, providing maps and data on 72,000 power plants, oil refineries, airports, and more. 

This tool adds substantially to global transparency of reporting emissions and effectiveness of nations at reducing emissions.

The Application was launched by Former US Vice President Al Gore, with an introduction by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The Climate Council, who are in Sharm El-Sheikh at COP27, said of the application:

• Australia’s emissions are more than triple those of the entire Pacific region, including New Zealand. 
• The emissions from Australia’s most polluting power station – Origin’s Eraring coal power station in NSW – are greater than the combined emissions of all monitored facilities in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Kiribati, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Federated States of Micronesia.
• Australia’s emissions are almost double those of the whole of Scandinavia’s. 
• Australia’s emissions are almost double Egypt’s, despite Egypt being home to four times the population of Australia. 

Dr Simon Bradhsaw, Climate Council Research Director, who’s in Egypt for COP27, said: “This really shows just how much of a fossil fuel giant Australia is and the injustice of the climate crisis.

“Time and time again, we’re seeing those that emit the least – like Pacific Island countries – being hit the hardest by climate disasters. 

“Australia must support those on the front lines of the climate crisis. This has been a major theme of COP27, and will continue to dominate global climate negotiations until real commitments on addressing loss and damage are made. 

“The world’s biggest polluters, like Australia, need to start forking out for the damage they have caused.” 

So far, only a handful of countries have made new loss and damage commitments: Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Belgium and New Zealand. 

“Australia’s shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to renewable energy superpower could herald a new era of regional cooperation with the Pacific. 

“But the Federal Government has to start by taking fossil fuels off the table, immediately, especially if it’s serious about co-hosting COP31 in partnership with the Pacific in four years’ time.” 

The Climate Trace tool shows the emissions from Eraring – Australia’s biggest coal-fired power plant – at Lake Macquarie in NSW, at 14.29 megatonnes, outweigh the combined emissions total for monitored facilities in Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Micronesia.

The tool also analyzes emissions from commercial shipping, power stations, coal mines, steel plants, agriculture and from landfill waste. It provides a pathway to focus on decarbonising the most polluting power stations or steel plants. To identify where polluters are under reporting emissions allowing government to better regulate those companies to reduce emissions.

 

Watch the launch:

Gavin McCormick explains the development of the application and why it is needed for transparency for all countries to be aware of emission sources to double check country reporting in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Greenhouse gas reporting.

 Tracking the whole world's carbon emissions -- with satellites & AI | TED Countdown:

References:

• Climate Council, Media release, 10 November 2022 https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/australias-emissions-almost-double-egypts-new-global-tracker-reveals-at-cop27/
• SMH, 11 November 2022, Australian emissions more than triple the entire Pacific region’s https://www.smh.com.au/world/africa/australian-emissions-more-than-triple-the-entire-pacific-region-s-20221111-p5bxmf.html