On 28 February 2022, the Clean Energy Regulator (the agency) published the annual National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) data for the 2020-21 reporting year.
For the 2020-21 year, corporations reported a total of:
- 315 million tonnes of direct (scope 1) greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide equivalence)
- 84 million tonnes of indirect (scope 2) greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide equivalence)
- 3,724 petajoules net energy consumed.
Data highlights
NGER highlights infographic 2020-21
Highlights in the 2020–21 data (in comparison to last year’s data) include:
- The total reported scope 1 emissions declined by 3.8% or 12.3 million tonnes.
- This decline is largely due to a decrease in emissions from electricity generation.
- Emissions in the electricity sector (grid-connected) have decreased by 4.4% or 6.8 million tonnes.
- This reduction is largely due to the increased use of renewable energy (such as solar generation) and the decreased use of black coal.
- Emissions from oil and gas and LNG decreased by 5.5% or 2.5 million tonnes.
- This reduction is largely due to reduced flaring and fuel combustion.
- Emissions in the transport sector decreased by 12.6% or 1.9 million tonnes.
- This reduction is largely due to reduced domestic flights resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020–21 datasets
Datasets published for the 2020-21 reporting year include:
- Corporate emissions and energy data 2020-21
- Reporting transfer certificate holders 2020-21
- Electricity sector emissions and generation data 2020-21
- Extract of the National Greenhouse and Energy Register 2020-21
Visit what data is published and why for more information.
2020–21 published data spotlights
The following spotlights focus on key data released as part of the 2020-21 data publication:
- Australia’s 10 highest greenhouse gas emitters 2020-21
- State and territory emissions profile 2020-21
- Australia’s largest electricity generators 2020-21
- Electricity generation sector emissions reported over time 2018-21
- Global warming potential value changes 2020-21
Notes for the 2020–21 publication
- Industry groupings are based on the ANZSIC codes reported for each facility.
- ‘Mining and Manufacturing’ aligns with the ANZSIC divisions B – Mining, and C - Manufacturing respectively.
- ‘Transport’ includes the ANZSIC subdivisions Road, Rail, Water, Air and Space and Other Transport.
- Fuel source ‘Gas’ includes fuel types Gas, Waste Coal Mine Gas and Coal Seam Methane. Fuel source ‘Renewables’ includes Solar, Wind, Hydro, Landfill Gas, Biofuel, Bagasse and Biogas. Fuel source ‘Other’ includes Diesel, Kerosene and Battery fuel types. These are based the primary fuel consumed by a facility to generate electricity in a year, as published in the designated generation facilities report.
- ‘Electricity generation’ only includes ANZSIC group 261. Electricity Distribution and Transmission (ANZSIC 262 and 263 respectively) are included in ‘other’.