Carbon emissions from Australian airlines cut in half by coronavirus

The massive reduction in air travel caused by the coronavirus has resulted in a cut in global carbon emissions from the industry of 10.3 million tonnes over February and March, and by the end of the year the reduction could be as much as 352.7 million tonnes.

If the reductions in domestic flights introduced by Qantas and Virgin remain in place for three months the amount of carbon emissions released by the industry would be 4.5 million tonnes less than over the same period last year. If the restrictions last six months the reduction would be nine million tonnes and 13.2 million tonnes should they last nine months according to an analysis by the Australia Institute, a think tank with a focus on climate and environment issues. That would translate to a 56 per cent reduction over the year.

Reductions in business travel might even be locked in after travel restrictions ease, as individuals will have become accustomed to new videoconferencing software such as Zoom and businesses will seek to cut costs and increase productivity when the pandemic eases, according to the paper’s author, Richard Merzian.

He notes that previous infectious disease outbreaks such as SARS in 2003 caused only temporary declines in travel in affected regions, but this outbreak is global and likely to last long enough to cause behavioural changes.

Read the story from The Age by Nick O’Malley - “Carbon emissions from Australian airlines cut in half by coronavirus.”

Veganism as a Strategy for Sustainability

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in plant-based diets, including veganism, vegetarianism, and other lifestyle changes that involve a reduction in the consumption of animal products (Baum & Whiteman, 2017). These dietary changes have been proposed as a solution to multiple human health, environmental, and moral issues (Rossi & Garner, 2013, p. 1). This paper explores a subset of these issues utilizing an interdisciplinary approach.

“Herd of black cattle graze in a foggy farm field.” 

Part 1 provides an overview of the environmental impacts of agriculture and the environmental benefits associated with transitions to plant-based diets. This is followed by an examination of veganism as a moral philosophy and how veganism can act as a strategy for sustainability in Part 2. Altogether, this essay presents a compelling case for not only reducing animal product consumption, but adopting veganism as both a social justice philosophy and a powerful strategy for sustainability. Importantly, this research is primarily relevant for developed countries in the western world. While the science and philosophy discussed here may have implications for developing nations, it is beyond the scope of this paper to thoroughly explore the issue of veganism and plant-based diets in the context of developing nations.

Read the Medium story by Evan Parker - “Veganism as a Strategy for Sustainability.”

Josh Frydenberg responds to Age Editorial

Australia's emissions

Josh Frydenberg.

Your editorial, "Dismal record on climate change" (19/1) was a misleading account of Australia's emission reduction performance. Our emissions today are the lowest on a per capita and GDP basis in 28years. 

Renewables investment is the highest on record, with the Clean Energy Council hailing an "unprecedented wave of investment”.

Absolute emissions in the last quarter came down in the electricity sector by 1.8per cent and across the economy by 0.6per cent, the biggest quarterly drop in the last four years.  The latest data indicates we'll overachieve our 2020 target by 294million tonnes, a 30per cent or 70million tonne improvement on the year prior. One million tonnes of carbon abatement is the equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road for a year.

Contrary to your claim, we do not need to count the 128million tonne surplus from the first Kyoto period to achieve our 2020 target; on the current numbers, we can achieve it without it. As for the 2030 target, the abatement task ahead of us has fallen 122million tonnes over the year and around 60per cent in the past two years.

Josh Frydenberg, Minister for the Environment and Energy