Australia’s emissions climbed in Coalition’s final year as transport and fossil fuels wiped out gains during Covid

Australia produced 488m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions during the Coalition’s last year of government. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters

Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions increased in 2021 as the country wound back Covid-19 lockdowns without taking significant steps to maintain a fall in carbon pollution recorded during the pandemic.

National emissions rose 0.8% – representing 4.1m tonnes of carbon dioxide – in the final full year of the federal Coalition government, according to government data released on Monday.