Fugitive emissions for Q3/FY2019 are the highest on record and have increased rapidly for four consecutive quarters. The latest release of the quarterly NGGI report highlights that increased annual emissions in the stationary and fugitive emission sectors are primarily driven by the 22% increase in LNG exports between 2017 and 2018.

The Office of the Chief Economist’s Resources and Energy Quarterly June 2019 states that:

“Australia’s LNG export volumes are forecast to increase from an estimated 75 million tonnes in 2018–19 to 81 million tonnes in 2020–21, as the last two projects in Australia’s recent wave of LNG investment ramp up output.”

Therefore, fugitive and stationary emissions are expected to increase through to 2021 in line with the increase in LNG production for the export market. With rising fugitive and stationary emissions, the national inventory is reliant on emission decreases in the electricity sector to reach emission reduction targets. However, with a sudden increase in emissions from electricity for the current quarter, emission decreases may need to be achieved in other economic sector