The department analysis shows the increase largely came from electricity generation - the country used more power without much change in its reliance on fossil fuels - and new liquefied natural gas projects. AGL says its Loy Yang A coal-fired power station has been operating at half capacity due to covert industrial action. Credit:Carla Gottgens In per capita terms, emissions per person continued to fall - to less than 23 tonnes of carbon dioxide, down from about 26 tonnes a decade ago - as population growth outpaced the rise in pollution. In terms of future emissions, the government continues to revise down projections. While they remain well above the 2030 target (a 26-28 per cent cut compared with 2005 levels), the gap has closed significantly in the past year. Despite this, all parts of the economy are expected to have higher emissions in 2030 than in 2020. It is expected Australians will be using more electricity, more polluting transport and running larger agricultural herds to meet overseas demand.

National emissions in 2030 are projected to be 592 million tonnes - see the blue line below. Last year, they were projected to be 724 million tonnes (the red line below). But to meet the target they will need to be less than 450 million tonnes (the dotted lines below). Illustration: Ron Tandberg Australian Conservation Foundation economist Matt Rose said the government was failing to cut climate pollution, and was holding back evidence of its poor performance from the public. Documents released to the foundation after a Freedom of Information request showed it had been sitting on the data since September, but chose to release it just three days before Christmas.

"If the Government is so embarrassed by the results it should improve its policies," he said. But Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said Australia was on target to beat its 2020 target and had made significant process in reaching the 2030 target. He said Australia's per capita emissions and emissions per unit of GDP were at their lowest level in 27 years. "Our policies, like the emissions reduction fund, are working to reduce Australia's emissions at low cost, without driving up the price of electricity like Labor's carbon tax did," he said. Labor climate spokesman Mark Butler said the greenhouse results under Malcolm Turnbull were worse than those under "known climate sceptic" Tony Abbott.