Australia's greenhouse gas pollution jumped in 2015-16 as coal use continued to rise after the scrapping of the carbon price, making it harder to meet its emissions targets.

Overall emissions are up 3.4 per cent compared with 2014-15 and up 7.5 per cent since the Abbott government eliminated the carbon price in June 2014, the Australian Conservation Foundation said, citing new data released under the National Greenhouse & Energy Reporting Scheme.

The data suggests that Australia's emissions are set to be higher at the end of the decade than they were in 2000, although credits earned in interim years will enable the country to meet its 2020 goals. The 2030 goal of cutting pollution at least 26 per cent on 2005-levels will be harder to meet the longer annual emissions keep rising.

Hugh Saddler, an honorary associate professor at the Australian National University, said total grid-connected generation – which excludes power plants at mines or other standalone sites – rose 3.3 per cent during 2015-16, and emissions gained 1.7 per cent.