“Petrol is a dirty, polluting, expensive, fossil fuel – and with every year that passes, our reliance on fossil fuelled cars is costing Australians billions,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Lindsay Soutar said today.

“The Australian Government under Malcom Turnbull looked seriously at legislating fuel efficiency standards in December 2016 – but then failed to put this critical measure in place.

“Today that indecision has cost Australians dearly, with over $10.1 billion in avoidable petrol costs forked out, and transport emissions still continuing to rise.

“In April, Transport Minister Catherine King announced there would be legislation for a fuel efficiency standard by the end of this year – but now she is refusing to confirm that timeline. The question must now be asked: is Catherine King taking her eyes off the road too?’

Alongside the new data Greenpeace has released a ‘Fuel Costs ticker’ that shows motorists missed savings of $6,300 every minute, $378,000 every hour and $9 million every day as a result of failure to introduce the policy.

“Each day without a legislated minimum level of efficiency for new cars being sold means more gas-guzzlers on the road. These cars then keep polluting for an average of 15 years, locking Australians into years of higher petrol consumption.

“In a time of climate crisis and with cost of living only rising, Minister King needs to keep her promise to cut dirty, polluting emissions. Every day we delay costs motorists and our climate.”

The figures come as Toyota’s latest sustainability report shows Australia receiving Toyota’s dirtiest cars, alongside South Africa.

“These new figures provide proof that Toyota is blowing smoke in the eyes of Australian motorists. They’re using Australia as a dumping ground for their most polluting vehicles,  while lobbying to delay fuel efficiency standards.

“Even oil kingdom Saudi Arabia is getting more fuel-efficient cars from Toyota than Australia”

Just this week the peak lobby group representing Toyota called for the go slow on introducing the policy, despite the government having run consultations on the proposed introduction of standards for well over a year now.

The data comes as recently released Climate Council polling showed a majority of Australians thought fuel efficiency standards would save them money.

“Minister King must stand up to the car lobby and start delivering for Australian motorists. As the only major wealthy nation without a fuel efficiency standard, our country is being left behind in the transition to cleaner technologies.

“Every week that passes, Australians will continue paying the price for the Minister’s delayed action on transport emissions,” Ms Soutar added.

—ENDS—

Note: for methodology please click here

This month, we are excited to welcome back the Rainbow Warrior to Aussie shores, as it embarks on a journey up the West Australian coastline to join with local communities and protect our oceans and climate from fossil fuel company Woodside – and its monstrous Burrup Hub gas project. 

Greenpeace has deep connections to Western Australia and its oceans. 

In fact, this journey marks 45 years since Greenpeace Australia Pacific first began back in the 1970s. A time when whaling was the greatest threat to whales and activists put their bodies between the whales and whalers – helping to put an end to commercial whaling in this country.

And now in 2023, as the greatest threat to whales comes from fossil fuel companies driving dangerous climate change, our crew will be sailing the length of WA with a simple message: choose whales not Woodside. 

Excited to dive into more history about the Rainbow Warrior? Of course you are.

Here’s a look back at some of the other times that Greenpeace’s flagship vessel has campaigned in Australian waters:

January 1990

March 1991

The following year, in 1991, Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior returned to Australia to take a stand against fossil fuel giant BHP, who was conducting seismic testing in search of offshore oil at the time.

The ship carried a banner “Whales and Oil don’t mix”.

On this particular occasion, BHP’s ship, the Western Odyssey, was successfully prevented from continuing with its dangerous seismic testing activities thanks to the efforts of the crew.

March 1993

By 1993, Greenpeace’s famous rainbow ship returned once again for a four-month tour around the south and east coasts of Australia.

The tour saw several ports of call along the way, including blockading the entrance of a cargo ship, the Eastern Ruby, into Sydney Harbour which was carrying tropical timber from Malaysia.

Plus a stop into Hobart, where scientists onboard took oil samples and activists occupied a jarosite dumping ship for almost twelve hours.

The trip even saw some special guest appearances onboard – including Paul and Linda McCartney.

September 2000

In 2000, the Rainbow Warrior returned to Sydney Harbour to help commemorate the Green Olympics, an idea inspired by Greenpeace to ensure commitments to green deeds during the Games – including energy and water conservation, and protection of the natural environment through initiatives including a solar-powered community for athletes to sleep and eat.

July 2000

Australia welcomed the Rainbow Warrior back to Sydney Harbour in 2005, during its climate tour against coal, where the crew onboard peacefully disrupted the loading of coal in the world’s largest coal port and demanded a switch to renewable energy.

July 2015

Ten years later, the Rainbow Warrior set sail towards one of the seventh wonders of the natural world during its six-week Save the Reef campaign.

The ship traveled up the east coast to raise awareness for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef, and was involved in several peaceful actions to protest against the transportation and usage of dirty fossil fuel, coal.

The tour also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior by the French government on the 10th of July 1985.

November 2018

The last time the Rainbow Warrior visited Australian waters was back in 2018, during its Making Oil History tour, to draw attention to the threats posed by dangerous oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight.

The Warrior was stationed in Sydney for a day to meet with supporters, before departing on a voyage along the East Coast to Melbourne, South Australia, and Western Australia, where it helped launch a number of reports and conducted important scientific research to document the unsung beauty of the Bight.

By 2021, fossil fuel giants BP, Chevron, and Equinor, had all announced they will be abandoning their plans for offshore drilling in the Bight – a historic win for people and the planet. 

Australia’s biggest climate polluter AGL will today start the process of shutting the remaining three of four units at the 50-year old Liddell power station in New South Wales. The heavily  polluting power station – one of Australia’s most unreliable and decrepit – will be replaced by large amounts of wind and solar energy, coupled with big batteries.

Glenn Walker, Head of Advocacy and Strategy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, congratulated AGL for following through on its plans to shut down the power station, and urged the company to close its two remaining stations by 2030.

“AGL’s remaining coal burning power stations in Victoria and New South Wales are equally unreliable polluting clunkers. The sooner they are shut down the better it will be for the climate and the health of local communities,” he said.

“With recent leadership changes at AGL, the company can and should be a renewable energy leader. By future-proofing the grid with renewable energy, AGL can be an industry leader for Australia’s rapid transition away from dirty coal and gas to clean energy.”

It’s the first major closure of a coal-burning power station since 2017, after Engie’s Hazelwood station was shut down in Victoria.

Walker said Liddell’s closure will be a tipping point for Australia’s energy transition.

“When the closure of Liddell was announced in 2017, it caused a political storm, leading to the sacking of then AGL CEO Andy Vesey. Despite the initial protesting from small-minded politicians and commentators, this announcement helped spur a massive four-fold increase in renewable energy production in NSW since 2017, meaning that dirty Liddell will be replaced by clean energy,” he said.

“The lesson from Liddell should be that companies like AGL and politicians alike need to show courage and get on with the job of cleaning up our dirty energy system. With leadership, forward planning, and smart investment in renewable energy the transition from coal and gas to renewables can be seamless.”

The closure comes after a two year campaign by Greenpeace Australia Pacific to have AGL bring forward the closure of their coal-burning power stations. Loy Yang A was scheduled to close in 2048 but is now slated to close in 2035. Bayswater was due to close in 2035 but will now close as early as 2030. 

Greenpeace maintains that both of these remaining power stations need to close by 2030 to align with the Paris Agreement and keep dangerous global heating below 1.5 degrees.

—ENDS—

First identified living in the waters of the Indian Ocean and the South-West Pacific in 1966, Pygmy blue whales are an Australian-specific subspecies of blue whales, scientifically known as Balaenoptera musculus.

So besides the obvious size difference, what else makes this sets this subspecies apart from the real deal? 

Here are six interesting facts about Pygmy blue whales:

1. Blue-gene baby

They may look like something straight out of Avatar, but science tells us that Pygmy blue whales evolved from ‘true’ blue whales thousands of years ago, during the Earth’s Last Glacial Maximum.

It’s thought that the expansion of ice drove most of the blue whale population further north, and voila! Along came Pygmy blue whales.

2. It’s all in the nose

Feeding Pygmy blue whale off Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia.

Interestingly, Pygmy blue whales are believed to sing in a different language or “song” than other species of blue whale, avoiding interbreeding.

Other distinguishing characteristics of a Pygmy blue whale include a larger head and baleen plates, with a smaller tapering tail fluke.

They also have typically darker skin than other subspecies of blue whales, and their blowhole is a different shape too.

3. They may be small, but they are still mighty

A Pygmy blue whale can reach up to lengths of 24 meters and weigh up to 90 tonnes (‘true’ blue whales can reach lengths of up to 30 meters and 200 tonnes).

ICYWW: That’s ten African elephants!

4. They are gentle giants of the sea

Krill, Euphausia superba, represent a critical component of the Antarctic food web, providing food for fish, whales, seals, penguins, albatross and other seabirds, as well as marine invertebrates.

It’s ironic that the largest living animals on the planet feed on the smallest, don’t you think?!

Similar to other baleen whales, Pygmy blue whales meet their nutritional requirements to sustain their heavy bodies by feeding on small crustaceans (aka krill).

Scientists believe that some Pygmy blue whale populations may inhibit a particular area throughout the year, whilst others undertake an annual migration to Antarctica.

5. They are a whale of wisdom

The estimated life cycle of a Pygmy blue whale is thought to be similar to human beings, around 70 to 90 years. However, we are still learning about these majestic creatures of the deep, and their true lifespan remains a mystery to scientists.

6. And sadly considered an Endangered species

Greenpeace volunteer holds a banner in 1000m deep water in Gascoyne Marine Park.
Taken on a Greenpeace boat tour to document and bear witness to landscapes and marine life that may be affected by Woodside’s planned gas expansion project off Western Australia.

The Pygmy blue whale is currently listed as Endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Sightings are extremely rare. And ongoing threats from boat strikes, unsustainable fishing practices, oil spills, plastic, and noise pollution, plus others, means their recovery rates remain largely a mystery to scientists.

This is especially concerning with gas giant Woodside Energy currently trying to conduct seismic blasting in Western Australia as part of its deep-sea gas drilling project in the Burrup Hub.

You can help us fight back and protect majestic marine life like the Pygmy blue whale by signing our petition here.

First devised in a University of the South Pacific classroom in 2019, the campaign now led by the Vanuatu government is seeking an advisory opinion from the ICJ, the world’s highest court, which would investigate how climate change is affecting the human rights of people and create legal clarity on how to address it.

Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Uganda, Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, The Federated States of Micronesia, Costa Rica, and Lichtenstein have backed the Vanuatu government’s bid and will continue to publicly support and advocate for it as the matter is put to the UNGA for a vote late 2022-early 2023 before it can be referred to the ICJ.

While Australia endorsed the campaign in principle, pressure is now mounting on the Albanese government to join these countries in stepping up and advocating for the bid. 

Vishal Prasad, Campaigner with Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said: 

“This campaign began in a small South Pacific University classroom in Vanuatu, a nation on the frontline of the climate crisis where our human rights are under threat. 

“This experience is not limited to the Pacific, with hundreds of millions of people around the world having their human rights impacted by climate change. Today’s announcement that these twelve countries are standing shoulder to shoulder in championing the bid for an ICJ advisory opinion is testament not only to the global impact of the campaign, but in our increasingly unified response to a shared experience. Together, we can establish a global precedent to link human rights and climate change, and protect the rights of current and future generations.”

Sepesa Rasili, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: 

“With climate change causing a human rights crisis, we need global leaders to stand with those hit hardest by the climate crisis, ensure their voices are heard, and act to protect their human rights by voting yes for the resolution for an ICJ advisory opinion resolution at the UN General Assembly.

“It is incredibly disappointing that Australia has not stepped up on the global stage and joined its peers to champion this Pacific-led campaign for climate justice at the UN General Assembly.

“To live up to its promises of reconnecting with its Pacific Vuvale, Australia must give meaning to these pledges and ensure they go beyond words. We call on Australia to be a true Pacific family member and join us on this voyage for climate justice by championing the campaign for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion through COP27 to the vote at the UN General Assembly.” 

Rose Kulak, Climate Justice Campaigner at Amnesty International Australia, said:

“Amnesty International Australia is disappointed that Australia has not yet stepped up to be counted among the champions of a campaign led by Pacific civil society and nations to take the human rights impacts of climate change to the world’s highest court. 

“The impact on human rights by climate change is undeniable, and countries like Australia need to be more ambitious in their goals if we are to protect the rights of present and future generations against the adverse impacts of climate change. Australia must show its intent to be a good global citizen by championing and co-sponsoring the UN resolution for an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”

—ENDS—

Greenpeace’s latest edition of the Green Electricity Guide reveals:

• Enova Energy and Diamond Energy are tied for first place with a perfect 5 star score. Diamond offers 100% renewable electricity, is a large investor in renewable energy, and offers active support for household solar, while Enova gives half of its profits back to the community, and sources electricity via customer distributed solar panels.
• AGL, Australia’s biggest energy provider, placed dead last with a score of just 1 star. The energy giant’s plan to burn coal until 2048, frequent local environmental harm, and continued coal mining have seen it slump to the bottom of the pack, alongside coal-burning power companies Origin and Energy Australia. 
• Powershop, which ranked first in the last Green Electricity Guide (2018), has fallen to 10th place due to its new ownership. Powershop’s anticipated acquisition by fossil fuel giant Shell saw a reported 6,000 customers move away, demonstrating the strong consumer concern around where their money ends up and any connection a provider has in furthering the climate crisis.
• Switching to a greener electricity provider is one of the most effective ways climate-concerned Australians can take action on emissions. Doing so helps tackle the climate crisis by forcing dirty polluting coal out, and bringing more renewable energy in. 

You can view the full rankings here.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Glenn Walker said the Guide not only highlights the climate shortcomings of many electricity providers, but gives consumers the tools they need to take action and switch.

“Australians can play a crucial role in transforming the country’s electricity system by switching to a greener electricity provider, forcing dirty polluting coal out, and bringing more renewable energy in.

“By moving away from a provider that invests your money in fossil fuels to one that generates their own renewable electricity or buys energy from renewable generators you can vote with your wallet and send a signal to Australian energy companies that you want them to get serious about tackling climate change.

“The Guide also helps cut through the increasingly common practice of greenwashing. Many companies continue using dirty coal, while spruiking the use of carbon offsets which often do more harm than good by delaying meaningful action on climate change.”

Mr Walker said AGL’s fall to the lowest rank provider in the Guide was further demonstration of its awful climate credentials.

“AGL is Australia’s biggest climate polluter, accounting for about 8 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. 83 per cent of AGL’s generation comes from burning coal, and the company continues to hide behind greenwashing efforts and a dodgy planned demerger instead of taking meaningful action to reverse its destructive climate impact.”

“This ranking is yet another damning indictment of AGL’s disregard for the environment and their customers. Rather than take any meaningful action, the company continues to hide behind marketing slogans, even going as far to propose a split in the organisation to hide its destructive climate impact.

Naama Lev said her experience of switching was quick and easy, and hoped to send a message to the sector to clean up its act.

“As a mum with three kids, looking after their future is my number one priority. The idea that their future could be impacted by climate change is really scary.

“We’ve been with AGL for 11 years. They had all the right marketing in place so we felt like it was a trustworthy company, but learning that they’re Australia’s biggest climate polluter and most of their electricity still comes from coal made me feel cheated.

“Being a busy working mum, I thought switching providers might be a big hassle, but the Green Electricity Guide made life easy. I had no problems switching quickly to a greener energy provider.

“Finding out we can make such a big impact by switching power companies really gives me hope. Together we can influence these big companies by where we spend our money, and help build a safer future for our kids.”

Total Environment Centre energy market advocate Mark Byrne, who was one of the founders of the Guide, said: “Australia’s energy market has evolved substantially over the past eight years, and the latest guide reflects the shift to more renewable and decentralised energy over that time.”

About the Guide

The Green Electricity Guide was developed using six main criteria – provides clean, renewable energy; commitment to ending coal use by 2030; halting fossil fuel expansion; support for new renewable energy; transparency in marketing; and pollution and environmental harm.

Today, around 76 per cent of Australia’s electricity still comes from the burning of fossil fuels and Australia has the highest greenhouse gas emissions from coal power in the world on a per capita basis. With 28 of the 48 providers scoring 3 stars or below, it is clear there is much more to be done for electricity providers to take action to combat the climate crisis.

ENDS

Notes

Read the full report here.

Top 10 providers:

1. Enova Energy
2. Diamond Energy
3. Momentum Energy
4. Aurora Energy
5. Indigo Power
6. Energy Locals
7. Nectr Energy
8. CoPower
9. Amber Electric
10. Powershop

Media Contact

For more information or to request an interview contact Maddison Bates-Willis on 0401 244 296 or maddison.bates-willis@greenpeace.org or Fiona Ivits on 0487 003 872 or fiona.ivits@greenpeace.org 

Do you know what the geographical area with the richest biodiversity in Australia is?

You’re probably inclined to say it’s the Great Barrier Reef, but it is actually the Australian South-west Botanical Province, in Western Australia.

There are 12 species of birds and 3 species of mammals unique to this area (endemic). The province is home to 7,380 plant taxa, with almost half (3,620) endemic to the area! 

The endemic mammals in this area include the; honey possum, western brush wallaby, and quokkas. The honey possum is exceptionally unique, as it is the only true nectar-eating marsupial, and it also pollinates plant species by transferring pollen collected on its body into flowers!

Male honey possums have very large testes for their overall size, and they have the largest sperm size of any other mammal on the planet. Perhaps this is why they are not endangered!

From Bush Heritage Australia website, Photo by Angela Sanders.

John Stanley Beard was a British-born ecologist who devoted much of his life to the study of Western Australian botany. He wrote a book in his retirement titled ‘Plant Life of Western Australia’, which was published in 1990. This book chronicled his accounts of environmental studies in Western Australia, and also provided his breakdowns of WA’s flora diversity into four provinces, including the ‘South West Botanical Province’.

One of the areas in this massive ecoregion is Esperance, off the coast of which lies Middle Island. On this island, there is a foot-print-shaped body of water called Lake Hillier. But certainly the most mind-blowing trait of this lake is that the water is a stunning, strawberry milkshake coloured pink!

From the Western Australia tourism page for Hillier Lake.

While other pink lakes exist in Australia and throughout the world in places like Utah, Lake Hillier certainly has one of the most vibrant hues of pink. It is suspected the colouring comes from the lake’s high level of salinity, but there is no definitive evidence that this provides it’s amazing colouration.

Lindsay Soutar, director of REenergise at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said that NBN Co’s power play will speed Australia’s telco transition.

“Australia’s streaming ahead with solar-powered internet! NBN Co’s announcement that it will be the first major telco to join RE100 and switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2025 is a power play that will hopefully reboot Australia’s telco energy transition,” she said.

“NBN Co provides broadband connection to over 8.3 Australian homes and businesses, and is the 54th biggest energy user in the country. Big telcos and internet providers use enormous amounts of electricity, and having NBN Co join frontrunners Telstra and TPG Telecom in making the shift to renewables will have a major impact on Australia’s emissions.”

“As Greenpeace’s recent report revealed, telcos and internet providers are one of the leading industries in Australia’s energy transition. Now we need Optus, which seems to be perpetually stuck on dial up, to join the party.”

A Greenpeace report revealed earlier this year that Australia’s telcos, tech and data centre companies together consume approximately four percent of Australia’s electricity, equivalent to 580,000 homes or more than all homes in Adelaide.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Fiona Ivits on 0487 003 872 or fiona.ivits@greenpeace.org

• The Australian government uses bullying tactics in regional negotiations on climate change, according to former Pacific Island leaders interviewed by Greenpeace Australia Pacific, including former Kiribati President Anote Tong and Bikenibeu Paeniu, Former Prime Minister of Tuvalu.
• Australia’s aid to the Pacific has been greenwashed, with some of the largest and most expensive ‘climate adaptation’ projects having no link to climate change or increasing the climate resilience of Pacific peoples. 
• The Australian government’s climate position harms its international relations and economy with Australia’s export markets for coal and gas shrinking as major trading partners such as Japan and South Korea commit to net-zero emissions.
  

  Launch of Greenpeace Australia PacificÕs new report ‘Pacific Bully and international outcast: How Australia’s climate policies isolate it from the Pacific and the world’, at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, on 3 November 2021. Speakers were Greenpeace Australia board member and Fijian international human rights lawyer Kavita Naidu (2nd right), Greenpeace International Director Jennifer Morgan (2nd left) and the General Secretary at the Pacific Conference of Churches, Rev. James Bhagwan (right).

READ THE FULL REPORT

The Australia: Pacific Bully and International Outcast report draws on dozens of interviews with present and former Pacific leaders, Australian diplomats and academics to reveal the hardline tactics used by Australia to thwart stronger regional action on climate change and to shift focus away from Australia’s responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The report also uncovers the greenwashing of Australian aid in the Pacific, finding that millions of aid dollars have been given to ‘climate adaptation’ projects that don’t have any link to climate change.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific researcher and international relations expert Alex Edney-Browne said the investigation showed Australia’s international standing has been damaged by its climate obstruction.

“Australia has lost its once-respected position in the Pacific and now has a reputation for bullying and strong-arm diplomatic tactics to thwart regional climate action,” she said.

“Pacific Island leaders are some of the world’s strongest climate advocates, but Australia has brazenly tried to buy their silence through aid with strings attached. 

“Morrison’s last-minute commitment at COP26 this week to increase regional climate finance by $500 milion, via bilateral agreements, simply won’t cut it.  “Given the level of greenwashing going on in Australia’s foreign aid to the Pacific as revealed in this report, there is also no guarantee that this money will go where it’s needed to increase the climate resiliency of Pacific peoples.”

“Australia has a history of using bilateral aid as a way of gaining leverage over Pacific island countries. It would be nice to see Australia being a good international citizen and showing support for multilateral climate finance such as the UN’s Green Climate Fund. It refuses to do so.”

“Australia must make a serious effort on climate change, which is threatening the very survival of Pacific nations. That means ruling out any new coal or gas projects, ending the billions in subsidies given to the fossil fuel industry and committing to a science-based target to cut emissions by 75 per cent this decade to bring it up to speed with our regional neighbours and trading partners.”

Gareth Evans, former Australian foreign minister, said Australia’s climate policy was already hurting the country’s diplomatic standing.

“A country’s reputation for decency in these matters does really, really matter… Australia’s credibility in all sorts of ways depends on our being seen to be responsible, good international citizens and Australia is putting that reputation very much at risk on the climate front,” he said. 

Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati, said Australia had not acted in the spirit of mutual respect in its dealings with the Pacific on climate change.

“I cannot read into the minds of Australian leaders but it’s always been my hope that we would treat each other with mutual respect, but I’m not sure this has always been the case,” he said.

“But we should be partners in every respect and not when it is convenient to one party but not the other, for example on climate change. We expect Australia to be stepping forward because climate change is very important for us and we’re meant to be part of this family. It had always been my expectation, my hope, that Australia would provide the leadership we desperately need on climate change,.”

Dr Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations at University of Queensland, refers to Australia’s climate policies as a “perfect storm”, with serious repercussions for the country’s regional and international relations if these policies remain weak by comparison with similar developed countries. 

For more information or to request an interview contact Maddison Bates-Willis on 0401244296 or maddison.bates-willis@greenpeace.org or Fiona Ivits on 0487 003 872 or fiona.ivits@greenpeace.org

With huge potential to generate solar and wind energy, there’s no doubt Australia can become a renewable energy superpower. By phasing out coal, oil and gas, and ramping up wind, solar, hydro output and battery storage capacity — Australia’s energy grid will become 100% renewable, 100% self-sufficient, and 100% affordable.

So, what’s the problem? Well, major fossil fuel companies, like AGL, continue to burn coal at an extraordinary rate. It’s heating up our climate, polluting our land, air and water, destroying our health, and taking us further away from our goal to limit global heating to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

As Australia’s largest climate polluter, AGL has a responsibility to replace its polluting coal fleet with renewable energy by 2030. That’s what both the UN and the International Energy Agency say is needed to cap temperature rise at 1.5°C. AGL currently plans to burn coal until 2048. But AGL doesn’t have to be Australia’s Greatest Liability — it can become part of the solution.

Change is happening globally — but Australia needs to get on board, ASAP

If you haven’t noticed already, global energy markets are going through a massive transitional phase — from dirty, polluting fossil fuels — to clean, affordable renewable energy. Australia’s status as a ‘coal capital’ once served us well, but now, the Morrison Government’s inability to guide the transition to renewable energy has put us at odds with our friends and allies and is making us outcasts on the international stage.

UN chief António Guterres has issued a clear, stern warning to climate laggards like Australia to end its “deadly addiction” to coal by 2030. Plus, the International Energy Agency has made it abundantly clear that if the world is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, new coal, oil or gas projects must come to an end this year. The world’s key players in the midst of a ‘green revolution’. The 2021 G7 summit saw the richest, most industrialised and most influential nations agree to stop investing in new coal-fired power projects beyond 2021 — citing the desire to achieve a decarbonised power system within the 2030s.

A green future for Australia is inevitable 

So, where does this leave Australia? The Morrison Government knows that the decline of coal, oil and gas is inevitable, and the fossil fuel industry knows it, too. That’s why some of Australia’s major polluters are already taking tentative steps towards a gradual shift away from dirty, outdated fossil fuels towards clean, green renewable energy. 

For example, EnergyAustralia took a step in the right direction earlier this year when it announced it will close Yallourn Power Station in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley in mid-2028 — four years earlier than its scheduled retirement date — and build a new 350MW utility-scale battery in the region by 2026 to boost renewable energy storage capacity. Although more action is needed, this will reduce the company’s carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 60 per cent relative to today.

Plus, Australia’s third-largest emitter, Stanwell, recently announced its plans to abandon coal and pivot towards a future in renewable energy. 

Renewable energy makes sense — because it’s cheaper than ever. 

Recently, the CSIRO confirmed that even when taking into account extra system integration costs — solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind remain the cheapest new sources of electricity.

The price of solar is plummeting faster than any other energy technology! The major growth in both large-scale and small-scale solar installations allowed solar energy to contribute 34.4 per cent of all renewable energy generation in 2020. New small-scale solar added 3 GW of capacity to the energy grid and surpassed hydro to become Australia’s second-largest source of renewable electricity.

But the growth won’t stop there! A 2016 study conducted by the Institute of Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney found that — with proper planning and preparation, plus increased investment in wind, solar, and hydro — Australia could have a fully decarbonised electricity sector by 2030 and a fully renewable energy supply system, including transport and industry, by 2050. Amazing, right?

Thanks to Aussie states and territories — we’re well on the way to reaching 100% renewable energy 

In 2020, each state and territory saw its renewable energy capacity grow by more than 20 per cent to reach a national capacity of 27 per cent — and it’s showing no signs of slowing down! Despite the presence of coal-obsessed, climate laggards within Parliament — states like Tasmania and South Australia are already proving that 100% renewable is 100% doable. 

Upon reaching 100% renewable energy capacity in November last year, Tasmania is setting its sights on a target of 200% renewable energy by 2040. It’s expected that Tassie will produce twice its current electricity needs and export the surplus to the mainland via the proposed AU$3.5 billion Marinus Link cable.

South Australia continues to prove that it’s possible to shift from coal to clean energy without hurting the economy or energy supply. SA now has about twenty large wind farms and four large solar generators in the state, with many more projects in the pipeline, including big batteries. These projects will pave the way for SA to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030, at the latest. The turnaround is a pretty impressive feat, considering that SA was 100% reliant on fossil fuel as recently as 2006!

As a traditionally coal-dominated state, New South Wales is making waves with its Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap; promising to deliver $380 million over the next four years to support 12 GW of renewable energy capacity. Plus, a recent report by Reputex found that NSW can reach 100 per cent renewable energy as early as 2030!

The continued rise of clean energy is inevitable: it’s not a question of if, but when, Australia will be powered entirely by renewables

It’s expected that five of Australia’s remaining 16 coal-burning power stations on the east coast could become financially unviable as early as 2025. Propping up these dying and potentially near-stranded assets is pointless and expensive — especially when these facilities could be transformed into sources of clean, green, affordable energy for all Australians!

Greenpeace’s report — Coal-faced: exposing AGL as Australia’s biggest climate polluter — reveals that renewable energy technologies can be implemented at scale to replace AGL’s ageing coal-burning power stations, as has happened elsewhere around the world. In the UK in 1990, coal accounted for 75 per cent of all of its electricity generation — now, it’s just 2 per cent. Closer to home, New Zealand is set to reach 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030. 

That’s why we’re calling on Australia’s biggest climate polluter, AGL, to be part of the solution. As a giant in the Australian energy sector, AGL can ensure this transition happens as quickly as possible by closing all its coal-burning power stations before 2030 and replacing them with renewable energy sources. 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for AGL, and other major polluters, to shift their focus and get on the right side of history. We know that it’s possible, and we know that it’s necessary — but we need your help to make it happen! So, will you join us in pressuring AGL to quit coal and switch to 100% renewable electricity?