How much Australia emits Australia's net emissions across all sectors, including emissions from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), totalled 576.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-e) in 2008. Emissions fell off sharply in that year due to the global financial crisis, but have otherwise followed a steady upward trend. The energy sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, comprising 72.3 per cent of net emissions. This proportion is less than in many countries due to the relatively large contribution from the agriculture and land use, land use change and forestry sectors to Australia's total emissions. The industrial processes and waste sectors are relatively minor sources. Carbon dioxide equivalent, CO2-e, provides the basis for comparing the warming effect of different greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced by the combustion of any carbon-containing substance. Of course, CO2 is not the only greenhouse gas, another is methane. 15 November, 2010
4613.0 - Australia's Environment: Issues and Trends, Jan 2010 This document was added 02/05/2010. CLIMATE CHANGE IN AUSTRALIAWhat is climate change?Australia's greenhouse gas emissionsReducing our greenhouse gas emissionsImpacts and adaptationSummaryEndnotes Climate change is a global problem with global consequences. Warmer-than-average temperatures are being recorded across the world. Glaciers and polar ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), released its fourth assessment report in 2007. In Australia and internationally, there has been an increasing focus on the issue of climate change and the demand for credible statistics and information has grown accordingly. What is climate change? Globally, there is evidence of climate change, including increases in air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising sea levels (Endnote 6). The Greenhouse Effect