Australian agriculture's carbon footprint has grown a little bigger, with new quarterly emissions data showing greenhouse gas emissions produced by the sector rose by 2.5 per cent in the past year.
Australia's National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reported that the increased emissions were due to successful beef cattle restocking and increased crop production following an extended period of dry weather.
The increased rate compared favourably however against the extra 3.2pc of greenhouse gas emissions produced by agriculture last year.
Meanwhile, overall national emissions in the year to September 2023 were 25.4pc below June 2005 levels, the base year for Australia's 2030 Paris Agreement target.
However, total emissions output still hit 459.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, a decrease of 0.5pc, or about 2.2 million tonnes.
Electricity emissions (down 4.9pc or 7.7 Mt CO2-e) was the sector with the largest decrease, as renewable energy uptake continues to displace fossil fuel power sources, followed by a 2.3pc drop in fugitive emissions normally created in coal production and natural gas venting and flaring.
However, several industries increased their emissions with stationary energy, excluding electricity, up 0.7pc due to an increase in combustion activity, transport rose by 4.5pc as COVID-era travel restrictions fade from view and agriculture up 2.5pc.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said an increasing uptake of renewables nationally had helped decrease wholesale electricity prices by 71pc.
"While the Albanese Government is investing in cleaner cheaper, cleaner power and future proofing our economy, the LNP is so stuck in their internal climate wars they can't even commit to a 2030 target," he said.
