Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen is representing Australia at this year's UN climate conference in Antalya, a Turkish Mediterranean resort city hosting the two-week talks, ABC News reported. For FY26, estimated emissions from Australian coal and gas exports when burnt abroad came to almost 1,200 million tonnes, compared with 681 million tonnes in 2005.
Under Paris Agreement accounting rules and Australian legislation, downstream or Scope 3 emissions from exported fossil fuels are not counted in domestic reporting. When coal extracted in Australia combusts offshore, those emissions are counted in the importing country's inventory.
Australia's domestic greenhouse gas inventory shows its domestic emissions footprint is down 25% on 2005 levels, and almost half of the national energy market is now supplied by renewables. The government's target is for renewables to reach 82% of the national energy market by 2030.
The Climate Council tracked 16 new coal mines or expansions approved in Australia since May 2022, along with 11 new gas approvals. BHP's Saraji mine received federal approval in September and will be able to operate until 2055. NSW planning authorities were required by the High Court in October to weigh emissions resulting from the overseas combustion of fossil fuels when deciding on project approvals.
The court characterised the concept of emissions scopes as merely an accounting device and stated that greenhouse gas emissions carry the same impact regardless of their categorisation. The ruling aligns with decisions in the UK and Norway, which also held that environmental assessments for projects must account for the full extent of emissions connected to them.
Barrister Harj Narulla, who appeared for the Solomon Islands in a 2025 International Court of Justice case, said Australia's continued fossil fuel expansions go well beyond what is consistent with a 1.5-degree pathway and place Australia squarely in the frame for challenge on its international law compliance. Bowen said in a statement that each project is assessed individually under national environmental law. A spokesperson for the minister said Australia would pursue consensus on electrification at COP31 and work to unlock climate finance and investment in support of the clean energy transition.
The conference is focused on a goal of 35% electrification by 2035. Activist Lyric Thomas-Pera said she wants the Australian government to demonstrate what being part of the Pacific family means in practice, and that a family supports and uplifts its members rather than letting them fall behind.
Australian companies and projects seeking federal or NSW state planning approval for fossil fuel developments may need to account for Scope 3 emissions from overseas combustion of extracted coal or gas, following the High Court's ruling on NSW planning law.
Reporting: ABC News
Background: Mypolice, The Guardian
Written by Pick & Scroll News from the reporting and documents linked above.
