AUSTRALIA'S CARBON FOOTPRINT

This paper gives an overview of the construction techniques and methods used to assign greenhouse gas accounts to industry sectors and of the use of input-output analysis to subsequently calculate the carbon footprint of Australia. The work is motivated by the introduction of an emissions-trading scheme in Australia, and by the need for policy to be developed around the direct and indirect (life-cycle) greenhouse gas emissions of industries, especially with regards to the trade exposure of industries with large carbon footprints. Greenhouse gas multipliers, which show the carbon footprint intensity of consumption items, are calculated to gain insight into opportunities for 'greening' consumption. Key industries are identified in relation to both greenhouse gas emissions and economic importance. The effects of imports, exports and capital consumption are explored and a brief analysis of the change in greenhouse gas multipliers over time is given.