Australian PoliticsCarbon Economy

Australia’s impossible ‘net zero’ challenge

Leith van Onselen
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Late last year, The Australia Institute complained that Australia was badly missing its 43% carbon reduction target by 2030 on the path to ‘net zero’ by 2050:

Australian carbon emissions

I have argued repeatedly that Australia has no hope of meeting its net zero target so long as it continues to grow its population like a science experiment via mass immigration:

Historical NOM
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The 2023 Intergenerational Report projected that Australia’s population would grow by 14 million people (circa 50%) over just 40 years to a population of 40.5 million by 2062-63:

Australian resident population

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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.