Australia’s Carbon Emissions Set to Drop: ANU Experts

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Australia's carbon emissions will decline by as much as four per cent over the next few years but governments need to support continued renewable energy deployment to ensure that emissions do not rise again, experts from The Australian National University (ANU) say.

Professor Andrew Blakers said emissions would drop on the back of Australia's world-leading deployment of solar and wind energy, which is 10 times faster per capita than the world average.

"This is a message of hope for reducing our emissions at low cost," Professor Blakers said. "Solar and wind energy offers the cheapest way to make deep cuts in emissions because of their low and continually falling cost. Federal and state governments can ensure that emissions continue to fall on the back of renewable energy by enabling adequate electricity transmission and energy storage. If the renewable energy pipeline is stopped or slowed down because of insufficient transmission and storage, then emissions may rise again from 2022."

Dr Matthew Stocks said falls in emissions in the electricity sector are about to be more substantial than increases in emissions from all other sectors combined.

"We are just starting to see large drops in electricity emissions from the recent increases in wind and solar deployment, with more to come from wind and solar currently being built," Dr Stocks said.

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