Fossil fuel projects awaiting approval could blow Australia’s ‘carbon budget’ tenfold, climate groups say

Activists say potential emissions from fossil fuel projects awaiting approval could be up to 10 times more than Australia’s projected emissions ‘budget’ to limit global heating. Photograph: Dean Sewell/The Guardian

The Australian government will face decisions on whether to greenlight 30 fossil fuel developments, mostly to export coal or gas, that together could result in more than 20bn tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

Climate groups have calculated the potential total climate pollution from fossil fuel developments currently submitted for environmental approval. Including emissions released both during production and when the fossil fuel was ultimately burned for energy – often in overseas power plants – they found the developments could lead to an additional 22bn tonnes of CO₂ being pumped into the atmosphere.