Greenhouse gas pollution levels are up across Australia with NSW and Queensland the worst offenders.

March 1, 2018

Conservationists say the fact Australia’s greenhouse emissions have jumped again proves the country is “a global laggard” when it comes to tackling global warming.

Federal government figures released on Wednesday show greenhouse gas pollution levels increased by 0.8 per cent across Australia for the year to September 2017.

Australian National University climate scientist Professor Will Steffen says pollution levels have now risen every quarter since March 2013.

“This is a really disappointing development when most of the developed world are getting their emissions down,” Prof Steffen told AAP on Thursday.

“It just solidifies our place as a global laggard on climate change.”

NSW and Queensland are responsible for more than half the country’s emissions.

NSW contributed 25.1 per cent of all emissions, according to the environment and energy department data, while Queensland and Victoria pumped out 29 and 21.7 per cent respectively.

Prof Steffen says Australia’s emissions began to rise again after the Abbott government abolished the carbon price in July 2014.

“For the two years we did have a carbon price emissions went down. But since 2015 it’s begun to drift up again,” the climate scientist said.

“That’s because of the really poor policy we have on climate change. There’s no incentive for people to get their emissions down.”

Australia’s annual emissions for the year to September 2017 – excluding the land use, land use change and forestry sector – are estimated to be 554 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

This represents a 0.8 per cent increase in emissions compared with the previous 12 months to September 2016.