Fossil Fuels Hamper Australia's Transition to Clean Energy

As of October 2025, Australia is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change, with extreme weather events battering the country. Sydney experienced record October heat, while high winds caused destruction in Melbourne and New Zealand. Marine heatwaves have triggered algal blooms and coral bleaching in the Great Barrier and Ningaloo reefs.

These climate change-fueled impacts are taking a heavy toll, with some Australians losing their lives or homes. Experts warn that the situation is only the beginning, as global warming has already reached nearly 1.5°C and is set to reach at least 2.7°C by the end of the century if more action is not taken.

Despite the clear and urgent need for rapid decarbonization, the fossil fuel industry and its relationship with governments are proving to be the biggest barriers to the global energy transition. Australia, in particular, is approving new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that will lock in emissions for decades, even as renewable energy costs continue to plummet and become a more cost-effective solution.

Experts argue that fossil gas, including LNG, needs to be rapidly reduced and effectively out of the energy system by 2050, with the power sector transitioning a decade earlier. However, Australia's plans to sell more LNG to Asian markets through 2070 risk locking in carbon emissions and delaying the shift to clean, renewable energy.