Tasmania's Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer. Those with the most significant impact on global warming are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Other common greenhouse gases include ozone and chlorofluorocarbons.

Each greenhouse gas varies in terms of its contribution to climate change. Global warming potentials are used as a relative measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere. They compare the amount of heat trapped by a certain mass of each gas to the amount of heat trapped by a similar mass of carbon dioxide.

Using this method, greenhouse gases are combined into a single, consistent value of carbon dioxide equivalent or CO₂-e.

A carbon, or emissions, sink removes more carbon than it emits. The removed carbon is stored, often in the form of growing vegetation.

Tasmania's emissions are reported as part of the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts, in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting  reporting framework for national greenhouse gas inventories, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reporting guidelines for annual inventories.

The Tasmanian Government releases a report each year on Tasmania’s latest greenhouse gas emissions figures, which shows the state’s progress towards its emissions reduction target and monitors emissions by sector.

The Tasmanian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2025 will be published in mid-2025. The 2024 report is available here:

• Download the Tasmanian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2024 (PDF 1.1 MB)
• Read the Tasmanian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2024 (webpages)

Requirements for measurement and publication of our greenhouse gas figures are set out in the Climate Change (Greenhouse Gas Emissions) Regulations 2022.

Energy

Emissions from Tasmania’s energy sector account for approximately 43 per cent of the state’s emissions (excluding LULUCF).

Emissions from electricity generation and the direct combustion of fossil fuels for stationary energy purposes in Tasmania’s energy sector account for approximately 23 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions (excluding LULUCF).

Energy: Electricity generation

Emissions from electricity generation in Tasmania are predominantly from the operation of the Tamar Valley Power Station, with a smaller contribution from diesel use on the Bass Strait islands. Electricity generation accounts for less than 2 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions (excluding LULUCF).

Tasmania is 100 per cent self-sufficient in renewable energy and has made a commitment to generate 200 per cent of our energy needs from renewable energy by 2040, which means Tasmania will double its renewable energy production. The Tasmanian Government is also fast-tracking a renewable hydrogen industry in Tasmania, with the goal of commercial exports of clean hydrogen by 2030.

Energy: Direct combustion

Direct combustion of fossil fuels for stationary energy and fugitive emissions accounts for approximately 21 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions. Direct combustion includes emissions from: burning coal, gas, agricultural waste or forestry residues to generate heat, steam or pressure for manufacturing industries and construction; agriculture, forestry and fishing operations; commercial operations; and burning wood or gas for household heating and cooking.

Energy: Transport

Transport accounts for around 20 per cent of Tasmania’s emissions (excluding LULUCF). Transport emissions come from road and marine transport, railways, recreational boating and domestic airline use. The majority (approximately 95 per cent) of transport emissions come from road transportation.

Agriculture

Agriculture is a key growth sector in Tasmania's economy. Currently, the sector accounts for approximately 33 per cent of Tasmania's emissions (excluding LULUCF). The majority (approximately 75 per cent) of these emissions comes from enteric fermentation (digestive processes that result in methane production), mainly from cattle and sheep.

Forestry and land use

Forestry is a well-established industry in Tasmania. Tasmania's forests act as a carbon sink which offset all of the state's greenhouse gas emissions. Projected climate changes mean it will be important to sustainably manage our current forests and plantations in order to offset atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Industrial processes and product use

Emissions from industrial processes and product use (IPPU) account for 19.3 per cent of Tasmania's emissions (excluding LULUCF).

IPPU includes emissions from: the calcination of carbonate compounds (such as cement, lime or glass production), carbon when used as a chemical reductant (such as aluminium, ferromanganese and zinc production), and the production and use of synthetic gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (such as refrigeration, air conditioning and solvents).