Covid sent Australia’s carbon emissions plummeting in 2020 to lowest levels in 30 years

Pandemic put handbrake on transport emissions and slowed economic activity, while an uptake in renewables also helped drive down levels

Australia's greenhouse gas emissions dropped last year to levels not seen in more than 30 years due mostly to the coronavirus pandemic that put a handbrake on fossil fuel burning in the transport sector and slowed economic activity.

New government data released Monday shows sectors where emissions fell sharply in 2020 due to factors beyond the government's control - the global pandemic and the end of a sharp drought - were starting to rebound.