GREENHOUSE gas emissions from energy production declined across eastern Australia last year because less coal was burnt.

It was also because NSW cut back on coal more than any other state.

It appears that there has been more of a switch to natural gas away from coal as the major power outlet.

“Any decrease in emissions is good news and 5.3 million tonnes is a substantial saving,” said the Australian director of The Climate Group, Rupert Posner, who told The Age this information ”If we were to continue to cut by this much each year, emissions from energy would be almost 20 per cent lower by 2020.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t the whole story as low rates of growth have helped keep emissions down. As the economy returns to more robust levels of growth, continued reductions will be much harder to achieve unless we start to change the way we produce and use energy in a much more meaningful way.”