Oops! From 2000 To 2020, Australia Released 272 Million Tons More GHGs Than Previously Thought
The Australian government has acknowledged it previously underestimated the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and has increased the official estimate for every year on record. Revised data in the latest quarterly emissions update shows Australia pumped out the equivalent of 272.5m more tonnes of heat-trapping gas between 2000 and 2020 than suggested in the last report three months ago.
It adds about six months’ worth of emissions to the national accounts, pushing up emissions by 2.3% a year, on average. The full increase is likely to be greater as the report does not include data for before 2000.
As reported by Guardian Australia last year, the change reflects agreement from scientists that methane – a highly potent but short-lived gas that leaks during gas extraction and processing – plays a greater role in warming the planet than previously understood.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said it showed that the use of gas was “cooking the planet”. “When the real pollution from methane is taken into account, it is clear that the Liberal and Labor-backed Narrabri and Beetaloo gas developments [in New South Wales and the Northern Territory] must be immediately stopped,” he said.
EDIT
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/27/australia-pumped-out-an-extra-six-months-worth-of-emissions-than-previously-recorded
