A new report by research institute Climate Analytics has called for Australia to close all coal-fired power stations and end sales of new petrol and diesel cars within a decade, arguing this is necessary to meet its climate commitments. Released on Monday, the study models a pathway to keep global warming as close as possible to 1.5 degrees, and comes shortly after the United Nations warned the world is on track to breach the Paris Agreement's temperature limit within years. The report's authors say the findings could help policymakers prioritise the sectors needing most urgent reform and position Australia as a global example.

Titled "A Fossil-Free Australia" and running to 183 pages, the report finds emissions could be cut by 71 per cent by 2050 through immediate action on fossil fuels and renewables. It sets targets including ending coal power by 2034, halving oil demand by 2035, cutting gas demand by 90 per cent by 2040, and reaching 100 per cent renewable electricity generation by 2050. It also calls for new petrol and diesel vehicle sales to end by 2035, aviation and shipping to switch to sustainable fuels by 2045, and reforms addressing industrial emissions and diesel-powered road freight, which the report's author warns could otherwise become the country's highest-emitting sector.