With the Liddell power station in NSW closing today, the Queensland Government is the biggest coal powered generator in the country, and at risk of becoming Australia’s biggest climate polluter, through CS Energy, Stanwell and CleanCo. 

Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman says that "this is a threat to the Queensland Government’s vision to become a renewable superpower." 

“We welcomed the Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan last year, as it provided a pathway to move Queensland away from coal. However, the closure of Liddell highlights that Queensland is still moving too slowly to catch up with Southern states."  

“In 2022, 22% of Queensland’s energy came from renewable sources. The rest of the National Electricity Market, excluding Queensland, averaged 40%. With the closure of LIddell, the Queensland Government will become the biggest coal-fired power generator in the country, generating 31 TWh in 2022, compared to 29 TWh from AGL’s remaining generators."

“The Government’s decision to rebuild Callide C4 means it will be neck and neck with AGL for the title of biggest polluter in Australia. If Callide C returns to its operating levels pre-explosion, our emissions will be within 2% of AGLs, and small variations in generation could tip us into first place."

“We need to be competing to secure the jobs and investment in long term future industries, not to be the biggest polluter. We desperately need to see legislated renewable energy targets and an accelerated build of renewable energy so that we can get back into the right race.” 

“To do this, we need bipartisan support for the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan from the LNP opposition. Queenslanders right now are paying the highest electricity prices caused by a lost decade of action on energy transformation, and we can’t afford any more steps backwards. We are calling on David Crisafulli to outline his plan for our energy future, and it must meet or exceed the renewable energy targets within the Jobs and Energy Plan.  We need bipartisan support for a faster transition, or we’ll win the prize no one wants.” 

Jenny Brown, Climate Campaigner, Queensland Conservation Council

0412899 059 

[email protected]

Today’s delayed release of the 2021 State of the Environment report places Queensland in the frame as “the state most responsible” for climate change and habitat loss. These are the two great threats to Australia’s environment.

This report makes it clear that climate change is impacting Australia’s environment, and our people, with the situation classified as poor and deteriorating. Queensland must do more to reduce climate pollution. We have the highest per capita carbon emissions in the world, and we are responsible for 31% of Australia’s total emissions. Our energy and land use sectors are particularly high emitters, with electricity generation emitting 64.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, and Land use and forestry emitting 16.3 million tonnes.

“Queensland’s emissions make it the state most responsible for addressing climate change.” said Dave Copeman, Director of Queensland Conservation Council. We also have the most to lose, with increased water temperatures due to climate change and driving repeated mass bleachings events of the Great Barrier Reef.

"This report is a clear indication that the Queensland Government must lift its inadequate 30% by 2030 emissions reductions target. This target is woefully inadequate, not in line with climate science, and will lead to more damage to Queensland's environment as documented in the State of the Environment report.

Recognising that addressing climate change is at the heart of efforts to protect and conserve Queensland’s unique biodiversity and ecosystems, Queensland Conservation Council prepared a 2018 report providing a critical analysis of Queensland’s Climate Transition Strategy and associated emissions reduction and renewable energy targets to determine if current policies and actions are enough to transition the state’s economy to zero net emissions by 2050. 

The five chapters of this report work to answer five key questions, including:

1. How will Queensland’s commitment to zero-net emissions by 2050 be translated into practice?

2. Do published business as usual (BAU) emissions scenarios for electricity and transport provide a realistic outlook on which to base Queensland’s transition planning?

3. What needs to happen to transition Queensland’s energy and transport sectors to zero-net emissions?

4. What are some transition opportunities and challenges facing regions and communities and what can be done
to facilitate a Just Transition?

5. Is climate change legislation needed to get Queensland to zero-net emissions?

Read the full report below!