Fossil fuels in Australia

Australia's forestry industry has proposed a controversial plan to remove trees from native forests, including potential impacts on national parks, in exchange for carbon credits, which critics argue would harm ecosystems and contradict climate goals. Meanwhile, recent research highlights that Australia ranks as the second-largest climate polluter globally when accounting for emissions from its fossil fuel exports, only behind Russia. This study indicates that Australia's coal and gas exports contribute significantly to global warming, with 1.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions attributable to these exports in 2023 alone. Despite acknowledging its role in climate change, the Australian government continues to promote fossil fuel extraction, undermining international efforts to reduce emissions. The findings stress a dissonance between Australia's domestic carbon footprint and its substantial overseas emissions from fossil fuel exports, which account for around 80% of the total damage. Critics warn that continued fossil fuel development is incompatible with commitments to limit global warming under the Paris Agreement.