Report on Australia’s Energy Transition and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

An analysis of Australia’s current energy landscape reveals that the nation’s “green energy transition” is more accurately an energy addition rather than a replacement of fossil fuels. This trend presents a significant challenge to achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). While progress in renewable energy adoption is evident, the continued expansion of the fossil fuel industry, coupled with a political and economic framework favouring conventional growth models, undermines genuine decarbonisation efforts. This report assesses the dichotomy between Australia’s renewable energy advancements and its persistent reliance on fossil fuels, examining the systemic barriers to achieving a sustainable future and proposing a strategic realignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDG 7: Progress and Pitfalls in Securing Affordable and Clean Energy

Advancements in Renewable Energy Share

Australia has demonstrated notable progress towards Target 7.2 of the SDGs, which aims to increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Key achievements include:

• Installation of solar panels on approximately one-third of Australian homes.
• A significant increase in the contribution of wind and large-scale solar to the main power grid, reaching new records.
• Growing adoption of electric vehicles and nascent developments in green steel production.

The Challenge of Energy Replacement

Despite these positive trends, the transition is failing to displace fossil fuels at the required scale. Globally and within Australia, new energy sources are often added to the existing energy mix, leading to an overall increase in energy consumption. This reality directly impedes progress on SDG 7, as the goal is not merely to add clean energy but to transition the entire system towards it. The continued global use of coal, oil, and gas alongside renewables means that greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, indicating that a true transition has not yet commenced.

SDG 13 & SDG 8: The Conflict Between Climate Action and Economic Growth

The Decoupling Dilemma

The persistent link between economic growth (SDG 8) and energy consumption poses a fundamental obstacle to climate action (SDG 13). Australia’s economic model, like many others, has historically been dependent on fossil fuels. The concept of “decoupling” economic growth from carbon emissions remains a significant challenge.

1. While some high-income nations show signs of relative decoupling, they often export emissions to manufacturing nations.
2. Achieving absolute emissions reductions while maintaining economic growth is proving exceptionally difficult.
3. The availability of energy has historically driven economic growth, suggesting that new renewable sources may be used to fuel further expansion rather than replace carbon-intensive sources, thus failing to meet Target 8.4 (improve resource efficiency) and Target 13.2 (integrate climate change measures into national policies).

Australia’s Role as a Global Fossil Fuel Exporter

Australia’s position as one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal complicates its commitment to SDG 13. While domestic emissions are showing a slight decline, this is overshadowed by the emissions generated from its exported fossil fuels. This practice effectively outsources the environmental impact, undermining global efforts to combat climate change and contradicting the principles of responsible production and consumption outlined in SDG 12.

Systemic Barriers to Achieving the 2030 Agenda

Policy Incoherence and Industrial Influence

A significant barrier to progress is the lack of policy coherence for sustainable development, a key aspect of SDG 17. In Australia, this is manifested through:

• Successive governments actively supporting the expansion of the LNG and coal industries while simultaneously promoting renewables.
• The sustained influence of fossil fuel lobbyists, which has historically weakened emissions targets and climate action policies.
• A political system that appears unable to refuse the demands of the fossil fuel industry, as evidenced by continued approvals for major gas projects.

Pathways to a Sustainable Future

To align with the SDGs, a fundamental shift in Australia’s economic and energy policy is required. Experts have identified a clear pathway for Australia to become a leader in the green economy, leveraging its natural advantages to foster sustainable industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9). This involves:

• Harnessing abundant solar and wind resources.
• Developing industries around critical minerals and green metals.
• Investing in large-scale green industries to create new avenues for economic prosperity.

Ultimately, achieving the deep and rapid emissions cuts necessary to meet climate targets requires greater ambition and far-reaching structural change. This includes confronting the influence of incumbent industries and transitioning from an economic model focused on infinite growth to one that is restorative and compatible with climate stability and the broader Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article’s central theme is the “green energy transition,” which directly involves shifting from fossil fuels to clean energy sources like solar and wind. It discusses Australia’s progress in adopting renewables, such as solar panels on a third of houses, which is a core component of SDG 7.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The entire premise of the article is based on the need to prevent “the worst effects of climate change” by “reducing greenhouse emissions.” It analyzes the effectiveness of the energy transition as a climate action strategy, discussing emission levels and the challenges of decarbonisation, which are central to SDG 13.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article extensively explores the complex relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. It questions whether “continual economic growth can ever be compatible with climate stability” and discusses the challenge of decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, a key concern of SDG 8.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The article highlights Australia’s role as one of the “world’s top three liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters.” This focus on the production and export of fossil fuels, which are then consumed globally, directly relates to patterns of responsible (or irresponsible) consumption and production addressed in SDG 12.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article points to a lack of policy coherence for sustainable development by describing how “successive governments have also worked to rapidly expand the LNG industry and keep coal alive” while simultaneously promoting renewables. It also mentions the influence of “powerful industries” and “fossil fuel lobbyists” on politics, which undermines the partnerships needed to achieve climate goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

   The article directly addresses this target by noting Australia’s progress, stating that wind and solar are funneling “ever more energy into power grids, reaching new heights of 43% in the main grid this year.” It also mentions that solar panels are now on “a third of Australian houses.”

2. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.

   This target is highlighted by the article’s critique of Australia’s policy failures. It points out the political inability “to make the changes necessary to meaningfully cut emissions,” citing the “Federal approval for Woodside’s giant North West Shelf project” as an example of policy that runs counter to climate goals.

3. Target 8.4: Improve progressively global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.

   The article directly discusses the difficulty of achieving this target. It states, “While some richer countries are managing to decouple economic growth from carbon emissions… It’s proving far harder to make absolute emissions cuts while still growing the economy.” This points to the ongoing challenge of decoupling.

4. Target 12.c: Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption.

   While not using the word “subsidies,” the article implies government support for fossil fuels, which is the essence of this target. It notes that governments have “worked to rapidly expand the LNG industry and keep coal alive” and that “fossil fuel lobbyists have fought against the adoption of strong emissions targets,” indicating a system that supports and protects the fossil fuel industry.

5. Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.

   The article provides clear evidence of a lack of policy coherence. Australia is shown to be pursuing contradictory goals: promoting renewable energy uptake (like rooftop solar) while simultaneously giving a “green light for gas” and approving projects that allow fossil fuel production “to continue” for decades.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 7.2 (Renewable energy share):

   Yes, a specific quantitative indicator is mentioned. The article states that renewable energy reached “new heights of 43%” in Australia’s main power grid. This figure directly measures the “Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption” (Indicator 7.2.1).

2. Indicator for Target 13.2 (Greenhouse gas emissions):

   Yes, the article provides a direct indicator of progress on emissions. It refers to official figures showing a “1.4% drop” in Australia’s direct emissions over the past year. This corresponds to “Total greenhouse gas emissions per year” (Indicator 13.2.2).

3. Indicator for Target 8.4 (Decoupling):

   The article implies an indicator by stating that globally, “the world economy now uses more wood, coal, oil and gas than ever before,” and as a result, “greenhouse gas emissions are still rising.” This indicates that on a global scale, decoupling of economic growth from resource use and environmental impact (as measured by Indicators 8.4.1 and 8.4.2) has not been achieved.

4. Indicator for Target 12.c (Fossil fuel support):

   An indicator is implied through policy actions rather than a number. The “Federal approval for Woodside’s giant North West Shelf project to continue” serves as a qualitative indicator of government support for the fossil fuel industry, which is the subject of this target.

5. Indicator for Target 17.14 (Policy coherence):

   The indicator is qualitative and based on the evidence of conflicting policies. The simultaneous expansion of the LNG industry and the installation of rooftop solar panels serves as a clear, non-numerical indicator of a lack of policy coherence for sustainable development.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: murdoch.edu.au