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Greenhouse gas emission
Fossil fuel combustion is the major contributor to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. Table 17.25 shows that the electricity supply industry accounts for nearly half of total energy-related emissions, and that emissions in this industry grew by 25% between 1992-93 and 1997-98. Direct emissions by households contributed around 13% in 1997-98, with most of these emissions due to motor vehicle use. Other significant direct emitters of greenhouse gases included manufacturing of iron and steel; mining; manufacturing of basic non-ferrous metals and products; air and space transport; and road transport (excluding household motor vehicle use). Combined emissions from this group of industries accounted for nearly 20% of energy-related emissions in 1997-98.
17.25 PRODUCTION OF ENERGY-RELATED GREENHOUSE GASES(a), By industry
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| 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | Change from 1992-93 to 1997-98 |
| Gg CO2-e(b) | Gg CO2-e(b) | Gg CO2-e(b) | Gg CO2-e(b) | Gg CO2-e(b) | Gg CO2-e(b) | % |
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Agriculture; hunting and trapping; forestry and fishing | 6,053 | 6,252 | 6,518 | 6,737 | 6,988 | 7,188 | 18.8 |
Mining | 10,986 | 11,237 | 12,295 | 13,271 | 14,596 | 15,136 | 37.8 |
Manufacturing | 52,431 | 52,934 | 55,665 | 56,603 | 55,437 | 57,166 | 9.0 |
Electricity and gas | 135,987 | 137,164 | 142,412 | 148,256 | 153,611 | 169,562 | 24.7 |
Construction | 4,293 | 4,419 | 4,582 | 4,809 | 4,819 | 4,958 | 15.5 |
Transport | 25,443 | 26,332 | 29,111 | 30,708 | 31,415 | 30,939 | 21.6 |
Services | 7,781 | 7,997 | 8,325 | 8,610 | 8,823 | 9,063 | 16.5 |
Household production | 42,194 | 42,990 | 44,051 | 44,361 | 45,286 | 45,587 | 8.0 |
Total | 285,168 | 289,325 | 302,959 | 313,355 | 320,975 | 339,597 | 19.1 |
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(a) Excludes fugitive emissions.
(b) Gigagrams of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-e).
Note: Due to varying classification systems, definitional differences, and various states of revision of data sources, figures will not necessarily reconcile with other data sources. Statistics of greenhouse gas emissions are also available for 1999 from AGO 2000. |
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Source: Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounts, Australia, 1992-93 to 1997-98 (4604.0). |
While table 17.25 presents the direct generation of greenhouse gases by the energy-using industry group or sector, graph 17.26 shows that, in 1996-97, the bulk of Australia's energy-related greenhouse gases were emitted in the production and consumption of goods and services for the purpose of household final consumption (about 56%). A further 25% of energy-related emissions were generated in the production of goods and services for export. Other final use categories (general government final consumption, and gross fixed capital formation) were responsible for the remaining emissions.
Graphs 17.27, 17.28 and 17.29 show the contributions that the production or consumption of various goods and services make towards Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. The consumption of electricity by households indirectly produced the greatest amount of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (17%). This was followed by direct emissions by households (14%), most of which is due to the consumption of motor vehicle fuels (graph 17.27). The most significant contributor to energy-related greenhouse gas emissions resulting from production of goods and services for export is basic non-ferrous metals and products (6% of total energy-related greenhouse gases) (graph 17.28). A significant proportion of emissions is also attributed to buildings and other construction, such as roads, irrigation systems, oil refineries, and water and gas supply systems, that contain high levels of embodied energy (about 7% of total greenhouse gas emissions) (graph 17.29).
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