Latest news with #InstituteforSustainableFutures
The Advertiser
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'What's net zero?': swindle, saviour, licence to pollute - or not good enough?
You're not alone. And arguments around the dinner table are entirely justified. "Net zero" is presented as a fait accompli, but who has taken the time to explain it? What does it mean for you and me at home, today? And what does it mean for our children and grandchildren? Net zero does not mean no greenhouse gas emissions. The key is in the word "net". The term refers to balancing the emissions produced with those removed from the atmosphere. In Australia, that is now enshrined in law. In September 2022, federal parliament signed off on the Climate Change Bill which locked in a target of a 43 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 - and net zero by 2050. But even our community and environmental leaders are divided on what "net zero" really means for our society. On the latest estimates, we're likely to get close to our 2030 target. "We call it net zero because it's a combination of reductions in emissions and there's some room in there for offsets - hence the 'net' - although the role of offsets is somewhat contentious and debated," Institute for Sustainable Futures research director David Roche said. "But the primary thing is reducing emissions to eventually get to zero emissions by 2050." The Nationals, now divided on net zero after a spectacular Coalition split following a disastrous election result in 2025, supported it in 2021. Individual households may not realise it, but Australia is already doing its bit in some respects. The country has the highest per capita take up of rooftop solar in the world. "In terms of the electricity system, most of the heavy lifting is being done by solar and wind," Mr Roche said. "By 2030 we'll have done most of the job of decarbonising our electricity system." With the newly re-elected Labor government following through on its household battery election commitment, the level of rooftop solar is likely to rise. Under the 2015 Paris agreement, Australia has pledged to meet the binding global agreement to limit the increase in global average temperatures to "well below" 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. "We'll get there by switching to low- and zero-emissions energy and technologies to reduce emissions as much as possible, while boosting carbon storage in trees, land, oceans and human-made products," Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean said of net zero. More hopefully, the Paris agreement aims to "limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels", though the national science agency, the CSIRO, reports Australia has, on average, warmed by 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. What do those temperature increases mean? Well, more heatwaves, cyclones like Alfred in March 2025, extreme rain, record floods, intense bushfires, and storm surges. Which is why GPs like Dr Kim Loo are worried. "Current decisions at a government level are going to corrode the health of our community," the western Sydney-based Doctors for the Environment member said. "Net zero, it gives polluters the freedom to pollute as long they have offsets." About 90 per cent of the world's carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels, like coal, gas, petrol and and oil. Most of Australia's emissions can be traced back to energy production. Transport, agriculture, and industrial processes are next. Though a small country by population, Australia ranks 14th globally in terms of emissions, responsible for about 435 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year September 2024. This is why many environmentalists and climate action advocates are concerned about the federal government signing off on the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia until 2070. Three coal mines were granted extensions in September 2024. "I think if we're talking about mining of coal for electricity generation, it's less about the mining - it's actually more about the building of the coal-fired power stations," Institute for Sustainable Futures' David Roche said. "We haven't been investing in new coal-fired power stations in recent years, and there's very good reasons why we haven't. "They're expensive to build. The future of them is pretty limited and so it's just not economic to build more coal-fired power stations." The major things you need to know about are: As part of the transition to a renewable, net zero economy, renewable energy zones are being developed in regional areas around the country. And large scale batteries are being built to store power when it's needed. The first three months of 2025 was the second best on record for big batteries, according to the Clean Energy Council. But people like Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce, along with Nationals colleague Matt Canavan, are not convinced. "Net zero is the licence for the greatest swindle of modern time," Mr Joyce told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "The secret deals in capacity investment schemes in which foreign multinationals and billionaires are guaranteed by the taxpayer a return on their intermittent power investment, even if it does not provide electricity to cover their desired return." The Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black and head of the Minerals Council of Australia, Tania Constable, were invited to comment for this story but did not respond in time for publication. Got something to say? Post a comment or email the journalist at You're not alone. And arguments around the dinner table are entirely justified. "Net zero" is presented as a fait accompli, but who has taken the time to explain it? What does it mean for you and me at home, today? And what does it mean for our children and grandchildren? Net zero does not mean no greenhouse gas emissions. The key is in the word "net". The term refers to balancing the emissions produced with those removed from the atmosphere. In Australia, that is now enshrined in law. In September 2022, federal parliament signed off on the Climate Change Bill which locked in a target of a 43 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 - and net zero by 2050. But even our community and environmental leaders are divided on what "net zero" really means for our society. On the latest estimates, we're likely to get close to our 2030 target. "We call it net zero because it's a combination of reductions in emissions and there's some room in there for offsets - hence the 'net' - although the role of offsets is somewhat contentious and debated," Institute for Sustainable Futures research director David Roche said. "But the primary thing is reducing emissions to eventually get to zero emissions by 2050." The Nationals, now divided on net zero after a spectacular Coalition split following a disastrous election result in 2025, supported it in 2021. Individual households may not realise it, but Australia is already doing its bit in some respects. The country has the highest per capita take up of rooftop solar in the world. "In terms of the electricity system, most of the heavy lifting is being done by solar and wind," Mr Roche said. "By 2030 we'll have done most of the job of decarbonising our electricity system." With the newly re-elected Labor government following through on its household battery election commitment, the level of rooftop solar is likely to rise. Under the 2015 Paris agreement, Australia has pledged to meet the binding global agreement to limit the increase in global average temperatures to "well below" 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. "We'll get there by switching to low- and zero-emissions energy and technologies to reduce emissions as much as possible, while boosting carbon storage in trees, land, oceans and human-made products," Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean said of net zero. More hopefully, the Paris agreement aims to "limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels", though the national science agency, the CSIRO, reports Australia has, on average, warmed by 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. What do those temperature increases mean? Well, more heatwaves, cyclones like Alfred in March 2025, extreme rain, record floods, intense bushfires, and storm surges. Which is why GPs like Dr Kim Loo are worried. "Current decisions at a government level are going to corrode the health of our community," the western Sydney-based Doctors for the Environment member said. "Net zero, it gives polluters the freedom to pollute as long they have offsets." About 90 per cent of the world's carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels, like coal, gas, petrol and and oil. Most of Australia's emissions can be traced back to energy production. Transport, agriculture, and industrial processes are next. Though a small country by population, Australia ranks 14th globally in terms of emissions, responsible for about 435 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year September 2024. This is why many environmentalists and climate action advocates are concerned about the federal government signing off on the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia until 2070. Three coal mines were granted extensions in September 2024. "I think if we're talking about mining of coal for electricity generation, it's less about the mining - it's actually more about the building of the coal-fired power stations," Institute for Sustainable Futures' David Roche said. "We haven't been investing in new coal-fired power stations in recent years, and there's very good reasons why we haven't. "They're expensive to build. The future of them is pretty limited and so it's just not economic to build more coal-fired power stations." The major things you need to know about are: As part of the transition to a renewable, net zero economy, renewable energy zones are being developed in regional areas around the country. And large scale batteries are being built to store power when it's needed. The first three months of 2025 was the second best on record for big batteries, according to the Clean Energy Council. But people like Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce, along with Nationals colleague Matt Canavan, are not convinced. "Net zero is the licence for the greatest swindle of modern time," Mr Joyce told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "The secret deals in capacity investment schemes in which foreign multinationals and billionaires are guaranteed by the taxpayer a return on their intermittent power investment, even if it does not provide electricity to cover their desired return." The Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black and head of the Minerals Council of Australia, Tania Constable, were invited to comment for this story but did not respond in time for publication. Got something to say? Post a comment or email the journalist at You're not alone. And arguments around the dinner table are entirely justified. "Net zero" is presented as a fait accompli, but who has taken the time to explain it? What does it mean for you and me at home, today? And what does it mean for our children and grandchildren? Net zero does not mean no greenhouse gas emissions. The key is in the word "net". The term refers to balancing the emissions produced with those removed from the atmosphere. In Australia, that is now enshrined in law. In September 2022, federal parliament signed off on the Climate Change Bill which locked in a target of a 43 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 - and net zero by 2050. But even our community and environmental leaders are divided on what "net zero" really means for our society. On the latest estimates, we're likely to get close to our 2030 target. "We call it net zero because it's a combination of reductions in emissions and there's some room in there for offsets - hence the 'net' - although the role of offsets is somewhat contentious and debated," Institute for Sustainable Futures research director David Roche said. "But the primary thing is reducing emissions to eventually get to zero emissions by 2050." The Nationals, now divided on net zero after a spectacular Coalition split following a disastrous election result in 2025, supported it in 2021. Individual households may not realise it, but Australia is already doing its bit in some respects. The country has the highest per capita take up of rooftop solar in the world. "In terms of the electricity system, most of the heavy lifting is being done by solar and wind," Mr Roche said. "By 2030 we'll have done most of the job of decarbonising our electricity system." With the newly re-elected Labor government following through on its household battery election commitment, the level of rooftop solar is likely to rise. Under the 2015 Paris agreement, Australia has pledged to meet the binding global agreement to limit the increase in global average temperatures to "well below" 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. "We'll get there by switching to low- and zero-emissions energy and technologies to reduce emissions as much as possible, while boosting carbon storage in trees, land, oceans and human-made products," Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean said of net zero. More hopefully, the Paris agreement aims to "limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels", though the national science agency, the CSIRO, reports Australia has, on average, warmed by 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. What do those temperature increases mean? Well, more heatwaves, cyclones like Alfred in March 2025, extreme rain, record floods, intense bushfires, and storm surges. Which is why GPs like Dr Kim Loo are worried. "Current decisions at a government level are going to corrode the health of our community," the western Sydney-based Doctors for the Environment member said. "Net zero, it gives polluters the freedom to pollute as long they have offsets." About 90 per cent of the world's carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels, like coal, gas, petrol and and oil. Most of Australia's emissions can be traced back to energy production. Transport, agriculture, and industrial processes are next. Though a small country by population, Australia ranks 14th globally in terms of emissions, responsible for about 435 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year September 2024. This is why many environmentalists and climate action advocates are concerned about the federal government signing off on the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia until 2070. Three coal mines were granted extensions in September 2024. "I think if we're talking about mining of coal for electricity generation, it's less about the mining - it's actually more about the building of the coal-fired power stations," Institute for Sustainable Futures' David Roche said. "We haven't been investing in new coal-fired power stations in recent years, and there's very good reasons why we haven't. "They're expensive to build. The future of them is pretty limited and so it's just not economic to build more coal-fired power stations." The major things you need to know about are: As part of the transition to a renewable, net zero economy, renewable energy zones are being developed in regional areas around the country. And large scale batteries are being built to store power when it's needed. The first three months of 2025 was the second best on record for big batteries, according to the Clean Energy Council. But people like Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce, along with Nationals colleague Matt Canavan, are not convinced. "Net zero is the licence for the greatest swindle of modern time," Mr Joyce told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "The secret deals in capacity investment schemes in which foreign multinationals and billionaires are guaranteed by the taxpayer a return on their intermittent power investment, even if it does not provide electricity to cover their desired return." The Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black and head of the Minerals Council of Australia, Tania Constable, were invited to comment for this story but did not respond in time for publication. Got something to say? Post a comment or email the journalist at You're not alone. And arguments around the dinner table are entirely justified. "Net zero" is presented as a fait accompli, but who has taken the time to explain it? What does it mean for you and me at home, today? And what does it mean for our children and grandchildren? Net zero does not mean no greenhouse gas emissions. The key is in the word "net". The term refers to balancing the emissions produced with those removed from the atmosphere. In Australia, that is now enshrined in law. In September 2022, federal parliament signed off on the Climate Change Bill which locked in a target of a 43 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction on 2005 levels by 2030 - and net zero by 2050. But even our community and environmental leaders are divided on what "net zero" really means for our society. On the latest estimates, we're likely to get close to our 2030 target. "We call it net zero because it's a combination of reductions in emissions and there's some room in there for offsets - hence the 'net' - although the role of offsets is somewhat contentious and debated," Institute for Sustainable Futures research director David Roche said. "But the primary thing is reducing emissions to eventually get to zero emissions by 2050." The Nationals, now divided on net zero after a spectacular Coalition split following a disastrous election result in 2025, supported it in 2021. Individual households may not realise it, but Australia is already doing its bit in some respects. The country has the highest per capita take up of rooftop solar in the world. "In terms of the electricity system, most of the heavy lifting is being done by solar and wind," Mr Roche said. "By 2030 we'll have done most of the job of decarbonising our electricity system." With the newly re-elected Labor government following through on its household battery election commitment, the level of rooftop solar is likely to rise. Under the 2015 Paris agreement, Australia has pledged to meet the binding global agreement to limit the increase in global average temperatures to "well below" 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. "We'll get there by switching to low- and zero-emissions energy and technologies to reduce emissions as much as possible, while boosting carbon storage in trees, land, oceans and human-made products," Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean said of net zero. More hopefully, the Paris agreement aims to "limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels", though the national science agency, the CSIRO, reports Australia has, on average, warmed by 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. What do those temperature increases mean? Well, more heatwaves, cyclones like Alfred in March 2025, extreme rain, record floods, intense bushfires, and storm surges. Which is why GPs like Dr Kim Loo are worried. "Current decisions at a government level are going to corrode the health of our community," the western Sydney-based Doctors for the Environment member said. "Net zero, it gives polluters the freedom to pollute as long they have offsets." About 90 per cent of the world's carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels, like coal, gas, petrol and and oil. Most of Australia's emissions can be traced back to energy production. Transport, agriculture, and industrial processes are next. Though a small country by population, Australia ranks 14th globally in terms of emissions, responsible for about 435 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year September 2024. This is why many environmentalists and climate action advocates are concerned about the federal government signing off on the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia until 2070. Three coal mines were granted extensions in September 2024. "I think if we're talking about mining of coal for electricity generation, it's less about the mining - it's actually more about the building of the coal-fired power stations," Institute for Sustainable Futures' David Roche said. "We haven't been investing in new coal-fired power stations in recent years, and there's very good reasons why we haven't. "They're expensive to build. The future of them is pretty limited and so it's just not economic to build more coal-fired power stations." The major things you need to know about are: As part of the transition to a renewable, net zero economy, renewable energy zones are being developed in regional areas around the country. And large scale batteries are being built to store power when it's needed. The first three months of 2025 was the second best on record for big batteries, according to the Clean Energy Council. But people like Coalition backbencher Barnaby Joyce, along with Nationals colleague Matt Canavan, are not convinced. "Net zero is the licence for the greatest swindle of modern time," Mr Joyce told ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "The secret deals in capacity investment schemes in which foreign multinationals and billionaires are guaranteed by the taxpayer a return on their intermittent power investment, even if it does not provide electricity to cover their desired return." The Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black and head of the Minerals Council of Australia, Tania Constable, were invited to comment for this story but did not respond in time for publication. Got something to say? Post a comment or email the journalist at
See - Sada Elbalad
27-05-2025
- Science
- See - Sada Elbalad
Studay: Earth's Temperature May Increase by 2.7°C by 2100
Rana Atef The Earth is now projected to warm by roughly 2.7°C by the end of this century, according to a new study. That's lower than the 4°C+ scenarios but it's still a level of warming that could bring dangerous impacts. Research led by Sven Teske, Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, suggests that while the planet is no longer headed for the most extreme climate breakdown, the outlook remains 'unprecedentedly perilous.' The findings confirm that avoiding total climate collapse does not mean avoiding disaster. Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the world has made tangible progress. Renewables, energy efficiency, and cleaner technologies have helped bend the curve. The scenario where coal use surges and emissions spiral out of control is now unlikely. Global CO₂ emissions have been rising since the 1850s. In 2024, the planet temporarily hit the 1.5°C threshold, with that year confirmed as the hottest on record. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uses scenarios called Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) to map out possible futures. Earth is currently on a path between RCP 2.6 and RCP 4.5, which aligns with the 2.7°C estimate. There's some hope. Emissions are starting to slow. The EU cut its emissions by over 8% in 2023, and China's CO₂ output is now falling for the first time, thanks to rapid growth in solar, wind, EVs, and batteries. The U.S. and Australia have also recorded slight drops, though not enough to stay within the remaining global carbon budget. Teske and colleagues warn that to limit warming to around 1.5°C, emissions need to peak by this year—2025. If not, every delay locks in more warming. In 2024, over 90% of new electricity generation worldwide came from renewables. Electric vehicles have become cost-competitive, and solar power is surging. Still, even with technologies in place, time is running out. Ending deforestation, accelerating clean energy, and cutting fossil fuel use are non-negotiables. Every tenth of a degree avoided matters. read more 15 Ludicrous Cosplay Costumes That Will Blow You Away Watch... Dorra's natural beauty will blow your mind in latest photo session Exercising For As Little As 150 Minutes A Week Will Make You Happier، Study Claims ARIES: Your Horoscope for April 7 FDA Now Considers Vaping A Rising Epidemic In High School Lifestyle How to make Dried salted fish (feseekh) -By Chef El-Sherbini Lifestyle Batarekh Dip & Sardine Dip Lifestyle Best of Easter cookie and cakes Lifestyle ARIES friendship News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
