We conduct public interest financial analysis on the most profound economic transformation since the industrial revolution: the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Federal fuel tax credits have come under renewed scrutiny as the Commonwealth pursues budget savings and faster emissions cuts in line with its climate targets. Costing roughly $11 billion a year and no longer tied to the costs of maintaining roads, critics argue it is too big a fiscal burden and is keeping users hooked on a fuel that’s emissions-intensive and vulnerable to supply chain shocks, as exposed by the Middle East conflict. Under a model put forward by Climate Energy Finance, diesel tax exemptions could be capped at $50 million but businesses could still claim rebates beyond the cap if they reinvested the funds into electrification. Read more

This year, the Australian federal government will spend billions on a scheme that makes it cheaper for miners and other industries to use diesel and petrol. It’s known as the fuel tax credit scheme, and there are growing calls for it to be wound back. With the federal budget under pressure, Nour Haydar speaks with Adam Morton about the most costly anti-climate policy in the Australian government budget, working against efforts to cut emissions Read more

Australia, an LNG exporter, stands to benefit from regional energy diversification efforts but also faces a domestic crunch for transport fuels. Tim Buckley, director of the Climate Energy Finance think-tank, said that at the start of the year Australia had just 25 days’ worth of diesel reserves and 29 days of petrol. “We have essentially no buffer against what is unfolding.” Read more