On the "Australian way" to achieve carbon neutrality

UDK: 622.276
DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2022-2-16-21
Key words: Australia, greenhouse gases, carbon neutrality, low-carbon technologies, hydrogen, natural gas, coal, investments, energy transition, carbon capture and storage technologies
Authors:

The article reviews the Australian government's Fall 2021 Plan to Reduce Emissions and Achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2050 by the Australian Government and the essence of the "Australian way" of achieving carbon neutrality. The situation that has developed in the world following the results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the attitude to the problems of climate change and energy transition of different countries and their search for their own way in solving them are shown. The features of the structure of the Australian economy and its exports are noted, which, among other things, determine the essence of the "Australian path" to achieve carbon neutrality, which consists in a combination of the maximum possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that are generated during the extraction and use of fossil fuels, and "compensatory" measures. An analysis is given of the main principles of the Australian Emissions Reduction Plan, which should ensure the country's effective transition to a fair clean economy, and priority areas for the implementation of this Plan. At the same time, those that are closest to the oil and gas industry (hydrogen production, LNG with a low carbon footprint and technologies for capturing and storing carbon dioxide) are considered and analyzed in detail. For each such area, the main tasks are identified, the solution of which ensures the achievement of carbon neutrality, and the largest projects being implemented or planned for implementation for these purposes, the possible scale and results of their development are shown. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of measures and mechanisms of state support for priority areas by the federal government and the governments of states and territories, such as the allocation of funds for research, development and demonstration activities, the creation of the necessary regulatory framework, interaction with business and the public, the development of international relations, staff development and training. It is concluded that Australia's focus on achieving carbon neutrality by combining the maximum possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting measures is of particular interest to Russia as well.

References

1. Who we are, URL: https://beyondoilandgasalliance.com/who-we-are/

2. Welsby D., Price J., Pye S. et al., Unextractable fossil fuels in a 1.5 °C world, Nature, 2021, V. 597, pp. 230–234,  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03821-8

3. Statement on international public support for the clean energy transition, URL:

https://ukcop26.org/statement-on-international-public-support-for-the-clean-energy-transition/

4. COP26: US and EU announce global pledge to slash methane, URL: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59137828

5. URL: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cp2021_L13R.pdf

6. URL: http://static.government.ru/media/files/ADKkCzp3fWO32e2yA0BhtI­pyzWfHaiUa.pdf

7. Mastepanov A.M., Features of Russia's approach to the problem of achieving carbon neutrality (In Russ.), Problemy ekonomiki i upravleniya neftegazovym kompleksom, 2022, no. 1(201), pp. 5–12.

8. Australia’s net zero emissions ‘plan’: the five things you should know, The Guardian, URL: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/27/australia-net-zero-2050-emissions- plan-five-things-you-need-to-know

9. Australia’s long-term emissions reduction plan: A whole-of-economy Plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021, URL: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Australias_LTS_WEB.pdf

10. Statistical review of World Energy 2021, British Petroleum, URL: https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html

11. Australian bureau of statistics. International trade, URL: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/international-trade

12. World's top exports. Australia’s Top 10 Exports, URL: https://www.worldstopexports.com/australias-top-10-exports/

13. NFF calls for net carbon zero by 2050, URL: https://www.beefcentral.com/ news/nff-calls-for-net-carbon-zero-by-2050/

14. Australia’s low-carbon hydrogen trade could be worth up to US$90 billion in 2050, accessed on 7 October 2021, URL: https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/australias-low-carbon-hydrogen-trade-could-be-worth-up-to-us$...

15. Australia’s fossil fuel exports, URL:  https://www.worldenergydata.org/australias-fossil-fuel-exports/

16. The hydrogen road. has arrived at the demonstration stage: A step forward in  realizing a hydrogen-based society, URL:  https://global.kawasaki.com/en/stories/articles/vol67/

17. Grib N., Vodorodnaya strategiya – chast' IV tekhnologicheskoy revolyutsii (Hydrogen Strategy – Part IV of the Technological Revolution), URL: http://www.cenef.ru/file/hydrogen.pdf

18. URL: http://www.hystra.or.jp/en/gallery/

19. Mastepanov A.M., Arai Kh., General projects of Japan hydrogen strategy and their future influence on the prospects of oil and gas industry development in Russia (In Russ.), Problemy ekonomiki i upravleniya neftegazovym kompleksom, 2020, no. 12(192), pp. 45–54.

20. Pogosyan A., Liquefied hopes: Australian LNG market in a power transition (In Russ.), Energeticheskaya politika, 2020, no. 12(154), pp. 74–83.

21. Gorgon carbon capture and storage, URL: https://australia.chevron.com/our- businesses/gorgon-project/carbon-capture-and-storage

22. Global CCUS projects. Overview of existing and planned CCUS facilities, URL:  https://www.iogp.org/bookstore/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/woocommerce_uploads/  2021/06/GRA002_210603.pdf

23. IPCC. Sixth assessment report – Climate Change 2021: The physical science basis – Summary for policymakers, accessed 1 October 2021, URL: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#SPM


Attention!
To buy the complete text of article (Russian version a format - PDF) or to read the material which is in open access only the authorized visitors of the website can. .