The annual ranking evaluates the world’s 15 largest traditional automakers on their phase-out of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, supply chain decarbonisation, and resource reduction and efficiency. The report highlights how Australia’s most popular car brands are also some of the worst in terms of electrification and decarbonisation efforts.

Suzuki was bottom of the pile and did not sell a single zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) in 2022, nor has it set any targets for supply chain or materials decarbonisation.

Australia’s leading car brand Toyota crawled up from last year’s bottom-ranking position, but continues to stall when it comes to ZEV sales which represented a measly 0.24% of its total sales in 2022 — exceedingly low for a carmaker of its size. 

The Australian Government is currently considering the introduction of a Fuel Efficiency Standard (FES) which would limit pollution from cars by creating a cap on emissions across a manufacturer’s overall sales. This would incentivise the supply of zero and low-emissions vehicles, ensuring everyday Australians have access to more affordable and less polluting cars.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Campaigner Joe Rafalowicz said that Australia is one of the only developed nations without an emissions standard and is fast becoming a dumping ground for expensive, dirty vehicles.

“Australia is considered an ‘ICE hold-out market’ due to our lack of fuel efficiency standards, placing us in the same category as countries like Turkey and Vietnam. 

“While Australians are calling out for access to more affordable electric vehicles, and petrol prices keep rising, Toyota continues to lobby for weak policy to protect its petrol-powered profits. This is clearly not in the interest of Australian consumers.

“A strong Fuel Efficiency Standard will benefit all Australians by slashing emissions, improving air quality, and reducing cost of living pressures. We call on Ministers Bowen and King to ensure a FES is implemented quickly and is robust enough to have a real impact on transport emissions, and to rule out loopholes for companies who have failed to invest in electric vehicles”

Yesterday, Greenpeace issued a statement in support of the decision by the High Court to scrap Victoria’s ‘ill-considered’ road user tax for electric vehicles.

In Question Time yesterday, Minister for Transport Catherine King was asked by MP for Kooyong Monique Ryan whether the government would rule out supercredits and other loopholes for car companies in its forthcoming fuel efficiency standard.

In an August statement, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said that the strong response to his government’s FES consultation reinforces overwhelming support for the Government’s position that, “Australia needs fuel efficiency standards that make us competitive with other parts of the world for cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars.”

—ENDS—

Notes for editor:

• Read the full report and media briefing 
• Toyota was penalised in the ranking due to a series of class-action lawsuits, known as “Dieselgate,” for emissions cheating that involves tampered devices displaying a lower nitrogen oxide emission level than the actual emissions.
• Toyota received a score of ‘D’ by InfluenceMap, due to its history of negative lobbying and active involvement in regressive trade associations.
• Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s submission to the Australian Government’s FES Consultation can be found here

Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai, alongside other inspiring climate litigants like Anjali Sharma, will join the ship as it sails to Vanuatu in solidarity with Pasifika communities who, like those in the Torres Strait, are holding governments and corporations to account after decades of inaction.

Cairns is the launchpad for the Rainbow Warrior’s tour, which sees the ship return to the Pacific as part of a global campaign to take climate harm to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court. After passing the United Nations General Assembly by consensus earlier this year, the historic campaign for an advisory opinion on climate now heads to The Hague where, if successful, could change the destiny of millions of people bearing the brunt of climate impacts, from rising seas, to cyclones and extreme weather events, and usher in a new wave of climate litigation globally.

Uncle Pabai Pabia said: “We come in friendship and solidarity to meet with Pacific communities and leaders. The most important part is that we engage together in sharing our experience of climate change and our cultural ways of connecting together, and that gives us strength.”

After years of inaction, the Australian Government has indicated a renewed focus on rebuilding relationships in the Pacific. Last year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “the entry fee for credibility in international relations [in the Pacific] in this century is action on climate change.”

The Australian government says that it will reduce emissions by 43% in 2030, but this is not enough to save our island homes in the Torres Strait and low lying communities in the Pacific. Leading climate scientists on the Climate Targets Panel calculate that Australia’s greenhouse emissions need to be reduced by 74% by 2030.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner Steph Hodgins-May said: “Australia’s relationship with the Pacific is contingent on real climate action, but at a time when we should be moving rapidly away from coal, oil and gas, the government is green lighting new fossil fuel mega projects.”

“The Australian Government must act in line with the best available science to protect everyone’s island homes — a strong submission to the ICJ is a statement in support of communities in Australia and the Pacific who need urgent action to protect them from climate harm.”

Through this voyage, Uncle Pabai and Uncle Paul want to build a bridge between Boigu and Saibai in the Torres Strait to Vanuatu strengthening the mutual support between communities. They hope that by working together they can help each other to increase the pressure on the Australian Government, and other countries to take climate action that will protect our communities.

—ENDS—

Climate leadership and expectations of Australia as an ally to Pacific Islands

Swept to power in a widely heralded “climate election” the Australian Labor Government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, promised to take decisive and effective action on climate change and repair damaged relationships with the Pacific. If the Albanese government is sincere in its intention to show climate leadership on the world stage, and to be a “different Australian government” to the Pacific, then it must deliver on a range of climate policies and commitments.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today discussed the proposal ahead of their attendance at next week’s Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji.

Vishal Prasad, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change campaigner, said: 

“By endorsing the campaign for an advisory opinion on the human rights impacts of climate change at the International Court of Justice, countries can help Pacific nations on the frontline of the climate crisis have a greater voice on the international stage, and force governments to consider the human rights impacts of climate inaction and climate policy.

“This is an idea whose time has come. Leaders must now step up to support it, starting here in Suva at the Pacific Islands Forum next week.”

Steph Hodgins-May, senior campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:

“We welcome Prime Minister Albanese’s pledge to build a stronger Pacific family and to co-host a COP climate summit with Pacific Island nations and New Zealand.

“Australia has an opportunity to give meaning to these pledges and ensure they go beyond words and symbolism by endorsing the Vanuatu government-led campaign for an ICJ advisory opinion on the human rights impacts of climate change.”

“Nations which are on the frontline of the climate crisis – many of which are in the Pacific – are bearing the brunt of cyclones, rising seas, and other extreme weather events. These climate impacts are destroying the human rights of millions of people. Their livelihoods, health, and environments are at serious risk, yet they have little recourse to change their circumstances.

“An ICJ ruling will explore how climate change is affecting the human rights of people and create legal clarity on how to address it, including providing an international legal framework for those experiencing the worst of the climate crisis to affect broad, accelerated change.”

—ENDS—

In his victory speech, newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to “end the climate wars” and make Australia a “renewable energy superpower.”

Greenpeace has laid out our top 13 steps to make Australia a “renewable energy superpower”

1. Replace domestic coal-burning power stations with renewable energy

We need to quickly move to replace coal-burning power stations for domestic electricity with renewable energy, backed by storage. To do this, we need to transform the grid – the physical transmission and distribution networks that will enable new renewable energy to meet all our electricity needs.

2. No new coal, gas and oil projects

The IPCC and IEA are clear that no new oil, gas and oil projects can be developed if the world is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C˚. This means new projects like Woodside’s Scarborough and Browse should not proceed.

3. Replace gas-fired power stations with renewable energy

We need transition plans to replace gas-fired power stations for domestic electricity with renewable energy, backed by storage. To do this, as above, we need to transform the grid.

4. Electrify everything else – including vehicles, buildings and industry – and power them with renewables

After electricity, we need to decarbonise other sectors. The first step is to electrify everything that can be, as quickly as possible, and then power it with renewable energy. This includes replacing petrol vehicles with electric; replacing gas stoves and hot water heaters in our homes with efficient electrical alternatives (induction stoves and heat pumps), and electrifying industrial processes with heat pumps.

5. Make renewable hydrogen for the hard to abate sectors – and ensure it’s green!

Green hydrogen is a fuel identified as necessary to decarbonise industries that cannot easily be switched to electricity from renewable energy, including shipping and steel-making. Most hydrogen is currently produced using fossil fuels – this rapidly needs to be replaced with green hydrogen. Australia is well-placed to become a world-leading producer of renewable hydrogen.

6. Export renewable energy and fuel to countries that need it

Power from large-scale renewable energy projects can be directly exported to countries that do not have Australia’s comparative advantage in sun, wind and storage. In addition to renewable power, renewable hydrogen and ammonia can be produced using solar and wind and exported to the world for those hard-to-abate sectors.

7. Export renewables-powered products

Australia has a huge opportunity to use its comparative advantage in low-cost renewables to export higher-end energy-intensive products. This includes products like green steel, green iron and even green food manufacturing.

8. Do renewables right: Share the benefits of clean energy transition

It is essential that renewable export projects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land obtain Free, Prior and Informed consent and share the benefits of projects with Traditional Owners. Benefits should also be shared with workers and low-income households.  Create a Clean Transitions Commission to oversee the orderly, fair transition out of coal and gas and into clean energy for workers and communities. Ensure that low-income households are able to participate in the renewables revolution.

9. Grow clean energy manufacturing

Australia has the potential to export both clean energy and technology like batteries to the world. This can be done through supporting Renewable Energy Zones, Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts and clean technologies that replace gas and coking (metallurgical) coal in manufacturing like green hydrogen.

10. Protect nature while growing renewables

It is essential that new renewable projects are done in a way that protects the environment, including no clearing of High Conservation Value ecosystems. Australia’s beautiful nature is a critical ally in fighting climate change. Strong federal laws to protect carbon-rich ecosystems like forests, bushland, rivers and coastlines are essential – starting with the recommendations of the Samuels Review.

11. Stop financially supporting fossil fuel industries

Align federal policies for industry subsidies, royalty and tax regimes with being a “renewable energy superpower”. The settings currently in place perversely benefit fossil fuels with subsidies and low royalty and tax regimes. This will need to be overhauled to level the playing field and turbo-charge renewables.

12. No false solutions that allow continued increase in fossil fuel production

These include: Carbon Capture and Storage, fossil hydrogen, and carbon offset methodologies that facilitate increasing fossil fuel emissions.

13. Be a global climate leader

This includes contributing our fair share to international climate finance and supporting the most ambitious global agreements on climate. The more countries commit to strong climate action, the more demand there will be for our clean exports.

Looking for more ways to help? You can support our campaign to kick gas to the curb and speed up Australia’s clean transition to renewables

Donate

Labor has announced an additional $194 million over four years to protect the Great Barrier Reef from climate change if it wins government at the upcoming election.

Kate Smolski, Program Director of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said that protecting the Reef from worsening climate change must be a priority for any party that forms the next government.

“For too long the devastating impact of climate damage on the Great Barrier Reef has been pushed aside, putting one of the world’s greatest natural wonders and the thousands of tourism jobs that depend on it at risk,” she said.

“Federal funding to safeguard the Reef from climate change is urgently needed, as sadly shown by the news this week that ninety percent of the Reef has suffered coral bleaching. While Labor’s $194 million commitment is a welcome sea-change, protecting the Great Barrier Reef must take urgent priority for the next government, whatever its make up.”

“But protecting the Reef is more than just throwing buckets of cash at it. Climate damage to the Reef is fuelled by coal, oil and gas. In order to give our coral reefs a fighting chance at survival the next government must commit to slashing greenhouse gas emissions by at least seventy-five percent by 2030.”

Climate change has been identified as the number one threat to the Great Barrier Reef. Earlier this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Working Group II report warned that coral reefs, like the Great Barrier Reef, are already at their adaptation limits and will not be able to withstand further pressure like rising ocean temperatures caused by burning fossil fuels.

—ENDS—

The original Safeguard Mechanism policy, like today’s version, applies to Australia’s biggest polluters – largely gas, coal, mining and manufacturing . It was supposed to stop climate change by limiting the amount of dirty greenhouse gasses they pump out.

But it was, to put it mildly, a disaster. Emissions went up, big time. The baseline emissions cap was set far too high, and it only applied to emissions from specific facilities – ignoring the bulk of emissions which come from burning coal, oil, and gas.

When Labor won the 2022 federal election, PM Anthony Albanese and his climate change minister Chris Bowen promised to make the Safeguard Mechanism fit for purpose. And this made companies like Woodside – which have done very well out of the deal so far – chuck their toys out of the pram.

What’s the government doing to fix these loopholes?

Labor inherited this broken system from the Coalition – and PM Albanese says he wants to make it fit for purpose. But they aren’t doing nearly enough.

Right now, the government is talking about making the cap – the amount of climate change emissions individual companies can produce – a little bit tighter. They also want the baseline to get a little smaller every year, so there is steady pressure on companies to clean up their businesses.

The key problem is, though, that they only want these big climate polluters to reduce their emissions by 13% but have a target of 43% for the entire economy. It means the biggest polluters aren’t being made to pull their weight.

The government also has no plans at the moment to properly deal with the huge emissions from new coal mining or oil and gas drilling.

So why is Woodside so upset?

Let’s be clear – Woodside is making out like a bandit from the current system. It is making billions in profit due to the sky-high price of gas – and it gets to ignore all of the emissions produced when its oil and gas is burnt (in 2021, this was over 90% of its climate impact). Yet it is still demanding the Federal Government use taxpayer dollars to pay it to clean up its pollution.

Woodside is giving Labor a real headache because unlike most companies, it plans to massively increase its climate impact. Woodside’s Burrup Hub – which includes the monstrous Scarborough, Browse and North West Shelf projects – is the most polluting fossil fuel proposal in Australia right now. The greenhouse gas emissions from the Burrup Hub would wipe out all of the emissions saved by the Safeguard Mechanism between now and 2030.

So what do we do about it?

The government is consulting on its changes to the policy right now – and people are coming together to demand a robust system that holds big climate polluters like Woodside to account.  You can take 3 minutes to send an email to your MP now and ask for a stronger Safeguard Mechanism policy.

[button href=”https://www.greenpeace.org.au/act/safeguard-our-climate” style=”flat” size=”medium” color=”#66cc00″]Send your email[/button]

“Increased funding to make communities more resilient and to prevent extreme weather events like the bushfires and tropical cyclones currently wreaking havoc at opposite ends of the country is always welcome but the elephant in the room is the fossil fuels that are driving the climate crisis in the first place,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific Climate Impacts Campaigner, Martin Zavan said.

“The root cause of these ever more frequent and destructive extreme weather events is climate change caused by the mining and burning of coal, oil and gas. We can’t ignore the reality that  the best way to help protect Australians from the deadly impacts of climate change is to rapidly reduce the use of fossil fuels.

“Anthony Albanese says the Morrison Government is failing on preventative measures such as building sea walls, evacuation centres and fire breaks. The real preventative measure we need is to address the root cause of disasters by rapidly transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy like wind, solar and batteries.”

Mr Zavan added that it was unfair for communities impacted by extreme weather to pick up the bill for disaster recovery and prevention.

“The fossil fuel companies that have contributed most to the climate crisis should bear the costs rather than Australian taxpayers and communities that have been devastated by bushfires, heatwaves and cyclones. Australia needs a climate compensation fund paid for by the biggest emitters in the country.”

Notes

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/12/labor-pledges-to-boost-australias-disaster-readiness-with-revamp-of-47bn-emergency-response-fund 

Contact

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Climate Impacts Campaigner, Martin Zavan

0424 295 422

martin.zavan@greenpeace.org

Kate Smolski, Program Director for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said that Labor’s weak climate approach was out of touch with Australians calling for stronger climate action.

“In the midst of a climate crisis, with Australians across the country crying out for stronger climate leadership, the Federal Labor party has produced a timid emissions reduction policy that falls far short of what this country needs to avoid climate catastrophe,” she said.

“The test for Labor is not whether they can promise something a bit better than one of the worst performing governments on climate action in the world. The test for Labor is whether they can meet the urgent need to secure the future of the Australian nation and act fast to reduce the sources of pollution that are driving global warming.

“Labor has set itself apart from the Morrison Government’s complete climate obstruction, but now it needs to do much more and build on progressive climate action from states, territories and businesses.”

“In its policy proposals set out today Labor has at least recognised that renewable energy will bring enormous job creation opportunities in regional Australia, but now needs to extend its ambition to do more, faster.”

“Anthony Albanese needs to read the mood of Australians, who since the last election have suffered through the country’s worst ever bushfires, catastrophic flooding and seen further devastating bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.

“What Australia needs now is true climate leadership, not play-it-safe political manoeuvring.”

“Australians who have just suffered through a climate-induced bushfire disaster want immediate action from the Morrison Government to cut emissions drastically over the next five to 10 years, not in 30 years’ time on nothing but a hope and a prayer,” he said. 

“Net-zero by 2050 means we only have a 50 percent chance of keeping global heating at 1.5 degrees, which would mean bushfires more severe than this summer. But even that inadequate target is beyond the coal-huggers in the Morrison Government that continue to prioritise fossil fuel profits over the lives and livelihoods of Australians.”

Mr Albanese also revealed that Labor will oppose Morrison Government plans to use Kyoto carryover credits to meet emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. 

“Using accounting tricks to dodge our responsibility is unAustralian. The Morrison Government is shirking our responsibilities as one of the biggest polluters in the world and putting Australians at risk of more frequent and intense extreme weather events, like this summer’s fires and floods, while our Pacific neighbours fight back against raising seas,” Mr Moylan said.

“We have seen the devastation that comes from doing nothing, and the costs of a single bushfire season is going to be in the billions of dollars. If the Morrison Government wants to avoid ecological and economic catastrophe, it must enact a real climate policy with real medium-term 2030 emissions reductions targets and pursue a just transition away from coal and gas.” 

Mr Moylan called out the Morrison Government for its meaningless “technology target” distraction that will see Australia left further behind as other competitor nations adopt increasingly cheaper, cleaner renewable energy.   

“As other nations evolve their energy networks and economies Australia is being left further behind as investment stalls because the Morrison Government has no direction and no grip on the reality of the climate crisis,” he said.

Contacts:

Greenpeace Australia Pacific Communications Campaigner, Martin Zavan

0424 295 422

martin.zavan@greenpeace.org.au