Cuts in power sector emissions are unlikely to be maintained, while those from the transport sector will continue to climb in the absence of mandatory standards, according to analysis by The Australia Institute.

A separate report by the institute also found Australia's Paris climate goals to be "grossly inadequate".

At the end of March, carbon emissions from electricity generation were down more than 12 per cent compared with mid-2011, with almost the entire drop made up by brown coal-fired power stations.

The closure of Victoria's Hazelwood power plant in March 2017 removed Australia's most carbon-intensive power station.

"From now on ... electricity emissions will fall much more slowly" if not remain flat, Hugh Saddler, an energy analyst and author of the report, said.