Thursday , March 28 2024
[fb_plugin like]

Scientists: coronavirus is Australia’s chance to shift to green energy

[ad_1]

Climate scientists have told Britain’s BBC news that the COVID-19 pandemic is a “huge opportunity” to fast-track Australia’s shift towards more renewable energy.

Australia’s recent bushfires made climate change the country’s most pressing issue.

However, the BBC reports scientists say that momentum risks being lost because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, as Australia looks for ways to revive its economy, innovations around solar, wind and hydroelectric projects should be central, they say.

The devastating summer of blazes, driven by drought and rising temperatures, killed 33 people and destroyed about 3000 homes, while millions of hectares of bush, forest and parks burned.

The BBC reports Professor Mark Howden of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University said memories of “the droughts and the fires and the smoke haze across major cities have dissipated with the arrival of COVID-19”.

“And clearly the momentum for change in relation to climate here in Australia has dissipated quite considerably too.”

Australia contributes about 1.5 per cent of the world’s total carbon emissions.

Fossil fuels it exports, mainly coal to China and India, make up another 3.6 per cent when burned.

Professor Howden told the BBC that reducing carbon emissions should be put front and centre of Australia’s post-virus economic recovery plan.

“When you have significant disruption like this, it does give you an opportunity to move forward on a different trajectory from the one you’re on previously,” he said.

While the use of renewable energy was increasing in Australia year-on-year, last year 24 per cent of all electricity generated came from renewable sources, the current conservative Liberal-National government has been notoriously reluctant to phase out coal in favour of cleaner options.

A recent report suggested Australia was second only to China in the number of new coal-powered plants in development.

The BBC reports Professor Matthew England of the Climate Change Research Centre said it would be ” disastrous” if, once the pandemic is over, Australia threw money into “lazy, low tech” coal to get the economy moving again, “because we know that those carbon emissions will change our planet’s climate in very dangerous ways”.

Australia is faring far better during the pandemic than many nations, with fewer than 6800 confirmed cases and 83 deaths reported as of late April.

Chief Australia Economist at BIS Oxford Economics, Dr Sarah Hunter said the Australian government now had the “headspace” to focus on its long-term economic response.

“Serious discussion around energy policy” should be part of measures to support recovery and growth, she said, especially while there was a fairly “co-operative environment” between the government, opposition and industry.

“Obviously nobody wanted what’s happening right now. But if it does mean that we get an acceleration of some of these reforms, that can be very positive in the long run.”

So far Australia’s economic response has centred around a $130 billion support package, with a subsidy for employers to keep people in work.

Professor Howden fears this may be short-sighted.

“Instead of putting money through businesses, essentially just to keep people in their current jobs or keep those job relationships going, we could put some of that money into nation-building activities, which reduce our emissions and give us future options,” he said.

“This is exactly the time when we should be having those discussions and making those plans.”

“Once we’re through the immediate effects of the coronavirus and the lockdown, in some ways that’s going to be too late.”

However, Grattan Institute think tank energy director Tony Wood said the best option for Australia was a “robust balance” of energy options.

While he supported investment in gas and other sectors including hydrogen and batteries for electric vehicles, he argued more renewable energy projects do not make economic sense right now.

“I don’t see why we should throw more money at more renewables” Mr Wood told the BBC.

“I don’t think it needs more subsidies or governments building wind and solar farms. They in themselves don’t create many jobs beyond the construction phase, and even those jobs are not well paid.”

The BBC reports that ultimately, it may be cold hard economics rather than environmental concerns that bring most change.

With Australia’s first recession in almost 30 years predicted as a result of the pandemic, analysts suggest this in itself could threaten the long-term future of many coal-fired power stations.

Lower demand from industry forcing down electricity prices for a prolonged period would make renewables a cheaper, more enticing option, what energy analyst group RepuTex call “a perfect storm for the wholesale electricity market”.

Also potentially bringing down Australia’s demand and therefore emissions, are behavioural changes picked up during lockdowns.

As in other parts of the world, Australia has seen industry slow and air travel all but stop.

Given that carbon stays in the atmosphere for thousands of years, this small blip is negligible, says Professor England, who expects to see pent up demand for travel and consumption post-lockdown.

However, he predicts, for example, that people flying between Sydney and Melbourne for short meetings will become less common once businesses see that video conferencing is just as effective.

While more than 200,000 people worldwide have died from COVID-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) forecasts that an additional 250,000 people will die each year from 2030 if global temperatures continue to rise.

Despite such dire warnings, there are few signs that people will take climate as seriously as they have this pandemic.

A poll last week from Ipsos Mori suggested only 57 per cent of Australians felt government actions after the pandemic should prioritise climate change.

“We need to understand this is a huge problem that we’re burdening our kids with,” said Professor England.

“And even if it’s not necessarily in your backyard, it will be at some stage. And the bushfires last summer, I hope, brought that home for Australians.”

The BBC reports he sees some cause for optimism.

“Climate change, unfortunately, has had three or four decades of the best scientific advice being ignored by many nations around the world in favour of some of the fossil fuel industry’s push for longevity,” he said.

“We’ve seen with this pandemic that those nations that took the expert advice seriously acted quickly and acted early are the ones who’ve best been able to cope.

“Now, one of the big things that people realise is that listening to experts is a good thing to do.”

EcoNews is an independent publication that relies on contributions from its readers.

WE’RE BUILDING A PLATFORM WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL GOOD. CONTRIBUTE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.

Click Here to Contribute

If you value EcoNews, but are unable to contribute via sponsorship or advertising we ask that you promote our online store The Native Shop – www.nativeshop.com.au via your social media to assist us to fund this valuable service.

[ad_2]
Source link

Y Not Freakin’ Recyclable Home

About Zohe

Environmentalist, Futurist, Lightworker, Wannabe naturalist. The way we are treating our world and environment is not going to end well! We need to change course NOW.

Check Also

Global Warming Pictures|| Save🌏 plz👈😔#shorts #viral

Global Warming Pictures|| #savewater #pollution #globalisation #saveearth #planttree source