Instead of the smart state, Queensland could be called the green state after a report shows it’s the nation’s best performer when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Queensland has the highest annual decrease in emissions of any state, according the State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories 2009 report.
The report shows Queensland has lower emissions than it had in 1990 with emissions dropping by about 9 million tonnes (Mt) from 2008 to 2009.
Queensland’s Environment Minister Kate Jones says the ban on broad-scale tree clearing has largely caused the decline.
“(Another report shows) our ban on broad-scale tree clearing saw a 48 per cent reduction in tree clearing in one year alone,” she said.
“These reforms were the single biggest contributor to Australia meeting our Kyoto protocol for carbon emissions.”
She said Queensland’s transition from coal to gas was another key factor.
WWF spokesman Martin Taylor says the Queensland government has done well but there is room for improvement.
“In the long run we need to see a move to renewable energy,” Mr Taylor told AAP.
“Even though land clearing has come down enormously in Queensland we are still seeing energy use double since 1990.”
