Australian data: Greenhouse gas emissions rose in 2021

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s new government on Monday blamed the previous administration’s inaction on climate change for an increase in the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions last year.

Australia emitted 488 million metric tons (538 million U.S. tons) of carbon dioxide and equivalent gases in the last calendar year, up 0.8%, or 4.1 million metric tons (4.5 million U.S. tons), from 2020, according to the government’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory update for the December quarter released on Monday.

Factors that caused the increase included a 4% rise in transport emissions as pandemic travel restrictions eased and 4.2% more agricultural emissions as rain ended years of drought across large swathes of southeast Australia.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, whose center-left Labor Party came to power at elections last month, accused the previous conservative coalition of relying on COVID-19 and drought to achieve emission reductions toward the end of its nine years in power.

“With the resumption of more normal economic activity, continuing recovery from drought and increases in manufacturing and resources sector activity, the previous government caps off its record of denial and delay by increasing emissions on the way out,” Bowen said in a statement.

Labor was elected on a promise to reduce Australia’s emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.

The former government had a less ambitious target of a 26% to 28% cut by the end of the decade.

Some minor parties and independent lawmakers are calling for stronger action to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

By the end of last year, Australia had achieved a 21.4% reduction, according to the latest data released Monday.

Opposition spokesperson on climate change Ted...