Report: fossil fuels should stay in ground to keep temp down

A NEW climate change report has warned exploiting the Galilee Basin in central Queensland could become a significant factor in global temperature rises.

A new report states the pollution from Australia’s coal resources, particularly the Galilee Basin, could take the world two-thirds of the way to a two-degree rise. Picture: APN PHOTO LIBRARY

A NEW climate change report has warned exploiting the Galilee Basin in central Queensland could become a significant factor in global temperature rises.

The Climate Council's report found most of the world's fossil fuel reserves must be left in the ground to keep the world's temperature rise to two degrees.

To tackle climate change, 195 countries agreed to keep the rise to no more than that figure.

But the report, Unburnable Carbon: Why we need to leave fossil fuels in the ground, stated the pollution from Australia's coal resources, particularly the Galilee Basin, could take the world two-thirds of the way to a two-degree rise.

It stated to have a 75% chance of meeting the two degrees, at least 77% of the world's fossil fuels could not be burned.

Coal was found to be the fossil fuel with the greatest proportion that could not be used, with 88% of global reserves unburnable.

The report came just before the Palaszczuk Government announced a push for biofuels and bio-manufacturing industries.

Environment Minister Steven Miles said the government had committed to a renewable energy study to investigate a 50% renewable energy target for Queensland by 2030 and creating an export-orientated renewable energy economy.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said a joint Deloitte Access Economics and QUT study predicted bio-refining in all its forms could contribute more than $1.8 billion in gross state product over the next 20 years while creating up to 6640 full-time jobs.

A discussion paper on the topic will be released late next month.

Originally published as Report: fossil fuels should stay in ground to keep temp down