Some of Australia’s biggest polluters have cut emissions by less than one per cent over the past two years, a report has found, falling significantly short of their targets.
But major resources and industrial companies could continue to make modest pollution cuts, it said, unless the federal government strengthens laws designed to curb emissions.
The Climate Council issued the warning on Wednesday in a report into Australia’s flagship industrial emissions policy, the Safeguard Mechanism, that applies to 208 facilities across Australia.
The announcement comes days after Energy Minister Chris Bowen launched a review of the regulations, and after the government announced a target to reduce climate emissions by 62 to 70 per cent in 2035.
The Safeguard Mechanism applies to facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, including coal mines, liquefied natural gas plants, steelworks, and large manufacturers.
