Australians are struggling with the cost of living, and rising power bills are putting even more pressure on household budgets. Three in 10 parents say they’re struggling to afford food, power bills or insurance. The key question is: how did we get here, and what can actually be done about it?

While power prices are complex, the short answer is, Australia’s reliance on polluting and expensive coal and gas is a major driver of high power bills. They are driving up wholesale power prices (the prices our electricity retailers pay), which make up up to 40% of bills. 

key reasons your power bills are sky high

1. Australia’s energy system still relies too heavily on expensive fossil fuels 

Australia is adding renewable power, like solar and wind at record rates – but for now, the majority of our electricity still comes from expensive and polluting coal and gas. These days, electricity made from fossil fuels is far more expensive than renewable power. In 2025, the average price of electricity from fossil fuels is $123 per megawatt hour (MWh), almost twice the average price of electricity from renewables ($64 per MWh). Already, more than 40% of our power is from renewable sources, and adding more will avoid even larger power price hikes.

Fossil fuel prices are so high because on top of general inflation, coal and gas-fired power stations pay international prices for the fuels. Prices have eased since the extreme spikes driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, but are still high. As long as our energy system continues to rely on fossil fuels that are bought and sold as international commodities, we will remain at risk of sudden and unexpected spikes in power prices. In contrast, the wind and sun are free, and when backed up by storage like batteries, they can provide abundant, locally produced power forever.

Read more: An Aussie Roadmap: building a clean, reliable and low-cost electricity grid.

2. Gas companies export the vast majority of Australia’s gas for eye-watering profits, at the expense of Australian families and businesses

Fossil gas prices are high because we are one of the largest exporters of gas in the world, exporting around 80% of our gas, which means we have to compete with global export prices. Gas companies ship so much of their gas offshore because that’s how they maximise their profits. 

Companies exporting fossil gas have made close to $100 billion in profits since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022, at the expense of Australian families and businesses. More and more Australian households are struggling to stay on top of their power bills, and industries are under significant pressure, and even closing down, due to high gas costs. These multinational corporations are making billions while providing almost no benefit to our economy and costing us thousands of dollars every day. At the same time, they are responsible for huge amounts of climate pollution both in Australia and worldwide.

Because gas is so expensive, electricity made using gas has a disproportionate impact on overall power prices. Even though only about 5% of electricity in Australia’s main grid comes from gas, research from Griffith University shows that because gas is so expensive, gas prices drive 50-90% of pricing periods in Australia’s main grid.

Expensive gas often sets power prices

Read more: 5 reasons Australia needs to break up with gas.

3. Our ageing and unreliable coal-fired power stations are driving severe price spikes

Most of Australia’s coal generators are more than 40 years old, and their ability to reliably produce power has dropped off dramatically – driving severe price spikes when there are unplanned outages. For example, Australia’s largest coal-fired power station, the 43 year-old Eraring Power Station in NSW’s Hunter Valley, had more than 6,000 hours (250 days) of planned and unplanned outages in 2024. Yallourn in Victoria is limping to its retirement date, with at least one of its generators unexpectedly out of action for one-third of the year in 2024.

When there are coal outages, power prices go up due to reduced supply and the increase in expensive gas generation to meet our electricity needs.  Four of the most severe power price spikes in the past seven years have been driven by unplanned coal outages (Analysis by Baringa 2024). Coal outages contributed to yet another severe price spike in June this year. 

Building a diversity of projects, like solar, wind, and storage, in more places makes our grid more reliable. Instead of relying on a small number of large generators that must run constantly (no matter how much electricity we need), and cause huge shocks to the energy system whenever outages occur, renewables create a flexible, distributed system. Modern grids need a mix of technologies, not traditional baseload generation. 

Read more: Lights Out: Ageing Coal and Summer Blackouts.

Coal outages are driving major power price spikes

It’s not all bad news – here are two ways we can help keep power prices in check.

4. Replacing our ageing coal-fired power stations with renewables will save Australians billions on their power bills

We need to replace our ageing coal-fired power stations to keep reliably powering homes and businesses. Renewables are not only the least expensive option to build, but are also the lowest-cost source of power. This is because unlike fossil fuels, Australia’s abundant wind and sun provide locally produced power without needing to extract and burn expensive, polluting fuels.

Australia’s energy market operator is preparing for nearly all our coal-fired power stations to close by 2038, and 90% to shut down over the next ten years. We need new sources of electricity to keep the lights on. The fastest, lowest cost way to replace coal is with renewables and storage. CSIRO recently found for the seventh year in a row that renewables (wind and solar), including storage and transmission, is the lowest-cost option – far cheaper than gas and nuclear. 

As more and more lower-cost renewables enter our grid and displace coal and gas, this will help put downward pressure on power prices. Modelling shows that if we delayed the expected roll out of renewables and continued our reliance on coal and gas, power bills could be between $449-606 higher for households, and $877-$1,182 for small businesses in 2030. This adds up to between $4.5 – $6 billion in additional costs for households in Australia’s main grid in 2030.

Delaying the shift to renewables could cost Aussie households billions

Read more: What is the cheapest form of energy for Australia?

5. Aussie households can take control of their power bills by installing rooftop solar, switching to electric appliances and improving their energy efficiency    

The best way governments can help Aussies struggling with rising energy costs is to deliver more lower-cost, clean power, backed by storage like batteries, and make sure all Australians can access opportunities to reduce their energy bills and make their homes more comfortable and safe to live in. 

Electrifying our homes, improving their energy efficiency and increasing rooftop solar uptake will directly help households deal with the rising costs of living while cutting our climate pollution. Already, more than 4 million Australian households have already installed rooftop solar, with each saving on average more than $1000 on their power bills every year. Australians are also installing batteries in record numbers to store their cheap excess solar to use whenever they need it. Batteries can boost the savings of a solar system to more than $3000, depending on where you are in Australia and your energy use.

On top of this, households in all Australian capital cities could save between $500 and $1900 every year by getting off gas and switching to electric, efficient appliances. When combined with solar and batteries, all-electric homes could slash household energy bills by up to 90% in many parts of Australia.

Read more: Seize The Sun: How to supercharge Australia’s rooftop solar.

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We are up on a northern part of the Great Barrier Reef for the launch of Code Blue – the Climate Council’s first comprehensive report on climate change and our oceans.

Today was a stark reminder of just how much hangs in the balance – what we are losing, but what we still can and must fight to save. 

We saw healthy patches of reef, some of which have been lovingly tended by marine scientists and assisted in their recovery. But we also saw vast tracts that can only be described as coral boneyards – areas that have never recovered from successive marine heatwaves.

The truth is that our Great Barrier Reef, and indeed our ocean at large, is in very serious trouble. As we head into another El Niño summer, there are well-founded fears of another devastating mass bleaching event.

Read Code Blue: Our Oceans in crisis report

Photographer: Tahn Miller, with divers Jodie Rummer and Simon Bradshaw.

More than half a billion people worldwide depend on coral reefs for their food, livelihoods, and the protection of their coastlines. Tragically, the damage to tropical coral reefs is but one aspect of a much larger crisis affecting our oceans. A crisis brought on by climate change, driven by the burning of coal, oil and gas.

The vast majority – around 93% – of the extra heat we have trapped by burning fossil fuels has ended up in the ocean. It’s an astonishing amount of energy – equivalent to detonating five Hiroshima atomic bombs every second, or enough energy to boil Sydney Harbour every eight minutes. 

This has consequences. More frequent and severe heat waves are pushing coral reefs and other critical marine ecosystems to the brink. Ice sheets are melting at an accelerating rate, driving up sea levels and displacing coastal communities. The ocean circulations and currents that distribute heat, rainfall and nutrients around the planet are slowing and may even be headed for collapse.

The potential impacts of these abrupt changes are truly profound. We are talking about the unravelling of our very life support system. 

All life depends on the water cycle that starts in the ocean. The ocean and the atmosphere form a coupled system that shapes the Earth’s climate, creating the stable conditions that have enabled advanced human societies to develop. Humans also need the ocean in other fundamental ways: every second breath we take comes from oxygen produced by the ocean. Even if we live thousands of miles inland, our weather is shaped by what is happening in our oceans.

The ocean’s enormous capacity to absorb heat may have masked the true extent of the damage. But today these changes are coming back to bite us. 2023 is almost certain to register as the Earth’s warmest year on record, and Australia faces yet another climate reckoning with a devastatingly early start to our fire season, and warnings of worse to come.

Put simply, the global dance between the ocean and the atmosphere underpins life as we know it.

The latest observations suggest we are perilously close to dangerous tipping points for our ocean that could trigger millennia of irreversible sea level rise and the collapse of the ocean circulations and marine ecosystems upon which we depend for our very survival.

We ignore these warnings at our peril. There is only one solution to our climate and ocean crises, and that is to leave our fossil fuels in the ground and get our emissions plummeting. Fast. Australia must aim to reduce its emissions by 75% below 2005 level by 2030, and reach net zero by 2035. And we must urgently update our outdated national environment law so that it takes account of the dangers of climate change and puts a halt to the reckless expansion of our fossil fuel industries.

In hospital emergency rooms, a code blue is called when a life-threatening event is underway. We are calling a code blue for our oceans today, because the crisis in our oceans threatens all life as we know it – including our own.

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2011 was the worst year of my life. I was living in the Northern Territory, working as Chief Fire Control Officer and that year, 67% of the Territory burnt. A death in my family cast a pall over my personal life, but the horrendous fire season turned work from ‘challenging but rewarding’ to ‘impossibly challenging and dangerous’. 

While much of the Northern Territory is desert or semi-desert, it periodically receives huge rainfall, and this encourages intense vegetation growth. Much of this is grass and scrub which grow rapidly, creating a blanket that stretches out to the horizon. As the weather clears, and temperatures climb back to the 40’s, the plants dry out and create a seamless cover of bushfire fuel. 

This pattern, supercharged by climate change, repeats every ten to twelve years with devastating impacts. 2011 was one of those years and I fear we are heading into another. As I write, the first of the fires have started to rage in the Northern Territory, and the peak council for Australian Fire and Emergency Services has indicated that as much as 80% of the region may burn this summer. Fire seasons are getting worse, and climate change is the culprit. 

Read our latest report on Australia’s bushfire preparedness here.

In 2011, fire preparation practices were manifestly inadequate, constrained by budget as well as weather. The window for fire management (the period when the weather is suitable for fuel reduction burning) had become narrower. 

Even back then, climate change meant that the small number of people dedicated to reducing fire risk had much less time to do it. To make matters worse, introduced grass species, gamba in the north and buffel in the south dramatically increased fuel density. Fires burned higher and hotter.

When the fires started, it was all hands to the pumps. Intense efforts were made to protect infrastructure and homes, but a huge amount of damage occurred. Fires wiped out habitat critical for saving the endangered desert rock rat and the mala from extinction. Time and again, people just managed to escape, their lives forever changed by other losses.

I vividly remember the afternoon we dispatched one of our most experienced bushfire managers to try to hold a fire that was encroaching on Alice Springs. A Warramunga man, he got off the plane from Darwin and went straight to the fire front. He quickly organised a massive back burn along bush tracks west of the town. This took immense confidence and courage. By about 9:30 that night I started to get phone calls from fearful residents who saw the towering walls of flame. What they saw was, in fact, the success of the backburn; it had joined up with the wildfire, leaving a trail devoid of fuel that saved their homes. 

Lives were undoubtedly saved by the decisions made by the likes of my colleague in 2011. But today, the only decision that can save us from a future marred by much worse fire seasons, is the decision to leave fossil fuels in the ground. 

Climate change continues to make fire management ever more difficult. Twelve years on and we know much more about the driving forces behind worsening extreme weather, but we’re not doing nearly enough about it. Just months ago, the Northern Territory Government announced that it would go ahead with a fracking project in the Beetaloo Basin, projected to emit the equivalent of more than three times Australia’s annual domestic emissions over the next two decades. We’re adding fuel to the fire by approving new fossil projects like this, heating up Australia and the world, priming the planet to burn.

Just like it was twelve years ago, the centre of Australia is covered with vegetation. Three La Niña years are likely to be followed by an El Niño. The weather is more extreme; already, the hottest days are hotter and there are more of them. We know to expect warm, windy weather just when the vegetation is at its driest. The fire conditions have become so bad that our official fire danger rating will be pushed into the category of ‘catastrophic’.

We have to drastically and urgently reduce our emissions if we want to give our country a fighting chance against fire seasons to come. If we don’t, I fear for communities in the Northern Territory and across Australia, who may well experience the worst year of their lives, just as I did in 2011.

The post 80% of the Northern Territory could burn this summer –  why are we still adding fuel to the fire? appeared first on Climate Council.

Officials from nearly 200 nations are gathering in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, for the 27th United Nations climate change conference known as COP27. Multiple global crises threaten to overshadow the summit, but the task at COP27 over the next two weeks is more urgent than ever.

A report released today by the Climate Council shows the world is in the grip of a deepening climate crisis. Without more ambitious emission cuts this decade, we are headed for a full-blown catastrophe.

In this time of global volatility, Australia can play a key role. At COP27, Australian officials will be lobbying to co-host the UN climate talks with Pacific island countries.

But, to succeed in its bid, Australia will need to walk the talk. That means moving rapidly away from coal and gas, and helping developing nations to manage climate impacts.

Australia must show more ambition

After a decade of denial and delay, Australia has rejoined the global shift toward a clean energy economy. However, Australia’s new 2030 target – to cut emissions by 43% from 2005 levels – is still one of the weakest in the developed world. And dozens of major fossil fuel projects remain in the pipeline.

More ambition is needed. At COP27, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has a chance to signal that Australia intends to become a renewables superpower, exporting the clean energy commodities and critical minerals other nations need to decarbonise their economies.

Australian diplomacy matters too. Australia is formally bidding to host a future round of UN climate talks, for the first time, in partnership with Pacific island nations. But a bigger role will come with bigger expectations.

To demonstrate Australia’s climate credentials, Bowen will need to explain that our 2030 target is just a starting point. Pacific island nations will want to see Australia end public finance for fossil fuels and join the growing list of countries that have set a clear deadline for exiting coal.

Australia will also be expected to commit more climate finance for developing countries and support a new global fund to address permanent loss and damage from climate change.

With a responsible international climate agenda, Australia could play a crucial role reinforcing global co-operation and brokering the next phase of climate action.

We need delegates and world leaders to stay focused at COP27. Distraction will be deadly.

A world of climate suffering

Extreme weather records were broken on every continent this year. From Lismore to Lahore, records tumbled so fast it was hard to keep up.

Australia recorded its equal-hottest day on record and its costliest flood disaster.

China endured its most intense heatwave. In Pakistan, extreme floods affected more than 30 million people and killed thousands.

Europe’s hottest summer on record smashed the record from just last year. The continent also suffered one of its worst ever droughts. UK temperatures topped 40℃ for the first time.

The western United States also recorded its worst heatwave.

In South Africa, record rainfall led to hundreds of deaths. Drought in East Africa has left millions at risk of starvation.

These climate impacts, sadly, are just the beginning. They are occurring in a world that has warmed 1.2℃ since the Industrial Revolution, but it’s going to get worse. Even if all countries meet their targets for emission reductions by 2030, the world is headed for 2.4-2.6℃ of warming this century.

Deeper cuts to emissions this decade can avoid worst-case scenarios. But we must act now. Global emissions must fall by 45% by 2030 to have any chance of achieving the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5℃.

Geopolitics is driving clean energy race

Even while climate records tumble, world leaders are focused on strategic rivalry between nations. It’s not all bad news, however. While competition may undermine joint action, it is also speeding up the shift to clean energy.

The United States and China are competing to lead this transition.

China is the world’s largest emitter and relies heavily on coal-fired power, but it’s also the global leader in clean energy production and deployment.

Last year China built nearly half the world’s new renewable energy infrastructure. China also dominates global production of solar photovoltaics, batteries, wind turbines and electric vehicles.

In September, the US Congress passed legislation authorising the largest climate spend in US history. The intention is to establish a clean energy manufacturing base in the US, and to displace China as a key supplier of components for solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles.

In Europe, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sped up the move away from fossil fuels, as it’s now also an issue of security. In May, the European Union set out a plan to cut Russian gas imports by two-thirds this year and end them altogether before the decade is out.

The strategy will cut Europe’s overall gas use — not just Russian gas — by a third by 2030. It also sets more ambitious 2030 targets for renewable energy and energy savings, and requires rooftop solar installations on new buildings.

As a result, the EU is expected to exceed its 2030 emissions target. European policymakers have agreed to formally strengthen the target next year.

Competition among major powers is clearly accelerating, not slowing, the shift to clean energy. A majority of countries — representing more than 90% of the world economy — have committed to achieving net-zero emissions. Most of the developed world has pledged to at least halve emissions this decade.

Australia is well placed to benefit from the global clean energy transition. At COP27 we must signal our shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to renewables superpower.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post This is what Australia needs to bring to Egypt for COP27 appeared first on Climate Council.

Flood events not only have a severe impact on human life and the economy, but also on our beloved pets, precious wildlife and valuable livestock. 

So what can we do to help keep animals safe when cyclones, severe rain events and flooding are predicted? 

Include animals in your planning 

One of the best ways to keep companion animals safe is by including them in your Home Emergency Plan. Identification tags and microchips should be up to date, properly attached and safely recorded. Plan for a secure method of transport to suit your particular animals. Ensure all veterinary records and medications are current and you have several days worth of food, treats and water as well as any necessary medications. This way, you’ll be prepared to take care of your animal companions before, during, and after flooding events. 

Reduce the risk for grazing animals

Property owners usually have a good knowledge of the geography of their land including river and creek systems that have flooded in the past. But as the climate deteriorates, we need to be prepared for the worst that can happen. Local councils, farming agencies and emergency services are all a good source of further information and assistance. 

Animals should be moved to safety, which may mean opening gates and even removing fences to allow animals access to higher ground. In some situations, the evacuation and transport of animals to another place altogether may be necessary. Contingency plans may be needed to provide food and water if existing supplies become unavailable or contaminated. Most production animals now have permanent identification. This, together with good communication with neighbours, local authorities and the police will assist with relocation. After the flood event, producers need to be aware of potential disease consequences.

Practice and think ahead to perfect your plan

Most emergency services recommend you practice your Emergency Plan so that when the time comes you are well prepared. This is particularly true when animals are a part of your emergency plan, as the distress and chaos of the situation make it easy for things to go awry. Run through your plan before the worst happens, ensure you have back-up options, and anticipate anything that could go wrong in the process. This is much easier to do without the threat of imminent danger. 

Help native wildlife

It’s also important to consider how you can help any native animals you may encounter in flood conditions. The best, easiest and safest way to help if you find a distressed animal is to first seek the advice of a trained wildlife rescuer or vet. If you can and it is safe to do so, restrain the animal with a towel and contain it in a clean dark box in a warm area until trained professionals arrive. Wildlife rescue organisations and vets can also give advice as to what food or liquids can be offered to affected animals if rescue is not possible straight away.

Support climate action before the flood

It’s also crucial that we remember extreme weather events like intense rainfall and flooding are being exacerbated by climate change brought about by the burning of coal, oil and gas. While all these tips for protecting your animals are useful, we also need the government to act on climate change, to give wildlife and animals the best chance of survival from future extreme weather events. 

One of the most effective ways to achieve action is to persuade our Federal Government to radically cut emissions this decade and make tangible plans to reach Net Zero as soon as possible. You can vote, email your local MP and attend rallies to ensure our pets, wildlife and livestock remain important and valuable members of our lives and the planet. By joining Veterinarians for Climate Action you can help in their aim to halt the climate crisis and secure a shared future for animals and people. Stay safe and remember to heed all warnings from emergency services. 

Extra resources and services

SES: 132 500

The New South Wales Government Local Land Services – 1300 795 299 for emergency support in managing livestock or flood impacts

The Queensland Government Business Queensland service provides advice and contact numbers for preparing animals for natural disasters

To find your closest qualified wildlife rescue service or vet, you can download this app.

You can make your own emergency plan here.

Wildlife helplines: 

​​NSW: WIRES 1300 094 737

VIC: Wildlife Victoria (03) 8400 7300

QLD: RSPCA QLD 1300 ANIMAL

SA: Fauna Rescue of SA inc 08 8289 0896

WA: Wildcare WA (08) 9474 9055.

NT: Wildcare NT 08 8996 121.

TAS: Bonorong Wildlife Hospital and Rescue 0447 264 625

ACT: ACT Wildlife 0432 300 033

Evacuation centres: ​​

Check in advance that your nearest evacuation centre is pet-friendly.

Evacuation centres NSW

Evacuation Centres QLD

Emergency services WA

Relief centres Victoria

Emergency information SA

Evacuation centres NT

Evacuation centres Tasmania

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