Australia cannot claim to be tackling climate change while exporting the fossil fuels that drive up carbon emissions around the world, a former Australian Defence Force chief has warned.
Retired admiral Chris Barrie also criticised the government for its unwillingness to discuss export limits at the world's key climate meeting, while slamming the US government for dismantling its renewable energy laws at the Australian Clean Energy Summit on Tuesday.
Attendees at the Sydney event also heard proposals for industry reforms, including partnerships with data centres and a national resource payment scheme that would reward regional councils for hosting renewable energy projects.
The announcements come after renewable energy broke records to deliver 42.1 per cent of power in the national grid between April and June, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator, and helped cut wholesale power prices in most states by 47 per cent on average.
Australia had clearly made significant advances in transforming its electricity system, Mr Barrie said, but efforts to cut emissions were being undone by coal and gas exports, and expansions of fossil fuel projects.
These include a 40-year extension granted to Woodside Energy's North West Shelf development in Western Australia, and a pre-feasibility study for a large-scale oil refinery in the west.
"We cannot credibly claim to be addressing the climate emergency while simultaneously increasing the very emissions driving it," he said.
"Australia's fossil fuel export trajectory is like trying to empty a bathtub while leaving the tap running."
Reports that climate change minister Chris Bowen would decline to support limits on fossil fuel exports at the COP31 meeting in Turkey were disappointing, Mr Barrie said, as were the US government's moves to dismantle clean energy frameworks.
"It seems to be a consistent government practice to avoid discussion of the science, the impacts, and our outsized contribution to them," he said.
"In times of crisis, especially when the future security of the nation is at stake, leadership means confronting the hardest problems head-on."
The event also heard from AirTrunk energy associate vice-president Sabooh Whitelaw, who urged operators to partner with data centres to build more renewable energy projects, and Clean Energy Council chief executive Jackie Trad, who called for changes to help build trust in regional areas.
A national renewable resources payment scheme could replace grants and community schemes, she said, and ensure project operators compensated regional councils for hosting their infrastructure.
"The cities get the power and the emission cuts, the regions host the towers, the panels and the turbines," Ms Trad said.
"Now, if you lived at the end of one of those transmission lines, you might think that was a pretty stiff deal."
Details of the scheme would need to refined in partnership with regional communities, she said.
