CANBERRA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's carbon emissions have fallen to a 20-year low till June this year, driven by a significant downturn in the use of transport amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federal government's latest emissions update published on Monday said Australia produced 513.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in the financial year 2019-20, down from 529.5 million the previous year and the lowest level since 1998.
It marks a 16.6 percent decline in emissions from 2005 levels.
Angus Taylor, the minister for energy and emissions reduction, said the data proved Australia was on track to "meet and beat our 2030 Paris target" of reducing emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels.
The decline was largely driven by a significant downturn in the use of transport, as well as industry, agriculture and waste, as lockdowns were introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Emissions from transport including cars, planes and public transport were 19 million tonnes between April and June compared to 24.2 million between January and March.
"This decline in transport emissions was partly the result of a 7.9-percent annual decline in petrol consumption associated with the impacts of the COVID pandemic," the report from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources said. Enditem
