Photo by ABC News: Keane Bourke
The Climate Council has labelled the Albanese Government’s approval of the North West Shelf gas extension a failure of leadership and a polluting stain on its climate record.
The decision to extend the life of Australia’s largest mainland gas facility until 2070 locks in more than 4 billion tonnes of climate pollution. That is equivalent to a decade of Australia’s annual emissions. It gives proponent Woodside the green light to keep operating one of the country’s most polluting fossil fuel projects until 2070.
Former North West Shelf Manager at BP Greg Bourne said: “Extending the North West Shelf will haunt the Albanese Government. They’ve just approved one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects in a generation, fueling climate chaos for decades to come. This single project will unleash more than four billion tonnes of climate pollution. It undoes the good work they’ve done on cutting climate pollution and betrays the mandate Australian voters just gave them.
“The global market is already awash with gas. It is rubbish to say that Australia needs this gas when the lion’s share is marked for export and none of it will be used on the East Coast. It’s bad for the climate, bad for Australia’s economy, and completely out of step with where the world is heading.”
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “Communities in NSW are starting the cleanup after record breaking floods. It is shocking that at the same time the Albanese Government has approved this massive climate bomb as the first act of this term of government. They’ve just opened the floodgates on over 4 billion tonnes of climate pollution.
“Peter Dutton promised to approve this project before the last election. Voters rejected Dutton. Why would the Albanese Government take Dutton’s lead on climate policy? Approving the North West Shelf extension leaves a polluting stain on Labor’s climate legacy. Australians voted for a renewable-powered future, not more climate pollution and destruction.
“If the Government is actively making the climate crisis worse it must explain to communities, like those experiencing flooding right now, how it will protect them from more frequent and forceful extreme weather events.”
This project marks the Albanese Government’s 27th coal, oil or gas approval since taking office. It is the most polluting of them all.
Key facts on North West Shelf:
See also: Conditional Approval of North West Shelf Extension a Slap in the Face to Western Australian Farmers
Dear reader, we need your support
Independent sites such as The AIMN provide a platform for public interest journalists. From its humble beginning in January 2013, The AIMN has grown into one of the most trusted and popular independent media organisations.
One of the reasons we have succeeded has been due to the support we receive from our readers through their financial contributions.
With increasing costs to maintain The AIMN, we need this continued support.
Your donation – large or small – to help with the running costs of this site will be greatly appreciated.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
By Denis Hay Description Charlotte Walker’s election sparks hope for youth representation in politics. Discover…
As the world was readying for the Second World War, the insightful humane Austrian author…
Oxfam Media Release Since breaking the ceasefire, Israel issued nearly one displacement order every two…
By Callen Sorensen Karklis As I pen this, I’m marking my final article for…
AgZero Media Release AgZero has slammed the decision by Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt giving…
The Australian political landscape has served up a dish of irony so rich it could…
View Comments
Nothing to see here,move along.Far more important to be the willing handmaidens of the fossil fuel criminals than looking after the interests of the people and the planet.Watch for the bullshit to ramp up...as well as the climate pollution.
Hands up all those who voted for Labor expecting positive change.
At least Murray Watt can anticipate a flash sinecure in the mining industry for his trouble.
This is why we needed a MINORITY Labor government.Pissweak.
Waiting......
Face it, the media's and politician's coverage of so called "climate change", is a sick joke. The so called "climate change", is in fact only one facet of Environmental Degradation, which is a world scourge and cannot be fixed by any one country.
Environmental Degradation goes hand in hand with GROWTH which demands more of everything, Humanity has always relied on fossil fuels, we have burnt wood, peat, dung, coal, gas and Uranium. So what is different? The difference is GROWTH, we burn more of it and more often.
Until such time as we address GROWTH, nothing will change, more politicians will spout more B*st and life will just meander on.
jonangel, well put.
The problem we have is that the financial system that controls global economic activity is dependent on perpetual growth, so the system (and its powerful backers) perpetuate the problem.
There should be no more awards or prizes for economic research or theory until someone comes up with a plan for continued modest prosperity within a zero-growth economy.
Global warming and the refusal of capital to consider enviro and culture, the underlying pillars, in the first place. Killing the goose with gold eggs doesnt work, but tell the likes of the executives this.
Funny how many floods there have been just recently, btw.
Neil Young wrote a song called, "Cortez the Killer", going on fifty years ago. Nothing is ever lernt.
Go back to sleep
Until the waters lap at your bed.
Righto then,we either elect the Greens as a majority government,or continue concentrating on the football and materialism,and not giving a fuck.There's really nothing to worry about.Might as well have voted for the LNP morons for all the difference it makes.
Harry, while I agree that we need to get off fossil fuel it is not something that can happen at the flick of the fingers. It is a transition.
While I am not happy about the Woodside decision it is not an unreasonable one in the context of an ongoing need for gas to generate power, both domestically and in other markets which are also transitioning to greener energy.
It is not possible to just turn of gas or coal fired generators and expect that the current wind and solar generation is going to carry us through. The transition will take, is taking time, but we are on the way with growth in both solar and wind generation feeding into more and more batteries both in homes and on an industrial scale.
Another important factor is that we have a larger population in Australia than ever before, and we have a larger population in the world than ever before, and like it or not, many chose to live in cities with 21st century homes dependent on electricity for lighting, heating, cooking and entertainment, so demand for power is increasing.
A flick of the fingers won't change that either.
Bert, they already had the nod out until 2030.As you would know, most of the gas produced here goes overseas.There are already many alternatives if the government wasn't in the thrall of the gas companies.It is utter gutless bullshit.
Bert, for a host of reasons, including the potential financial penalties for early termination, it was a very bad reason.
The decision should be held in abeyance for the next three years minimum, with a potential extension beyond that for a maximum ten year period.
Harry and leefe, yes, that is true, particularly in the Eastern States, but Woodside have included in their contracts a policy of a reserve for domestic (West Australian) use, guaranteeing that we have a supply at a favourable price.
I do not necessarily agree with the decision, especially the length of the contract, but politics is the art of compromise, and the extension being given now allows for the investments and infrastructure to commence in the expansion.
It is what it is, the decision is made, and for the west, the guarantee of a continuing gas supply domestically at preferential rates is good. We need to recognise too that in the west we have the highest up take of solar per population and the development of industrial capable batteries along with a subsidy scheme fir house hold batteries as well as wind farms sprouting up along the coast to the north and along the south coast to supply the various cities there.
It's not like we are sitting on our hands because of the gas we have, unlike the situation in Queensland where the LNP government, without being hamstrung by a house of review, an upper house is tearing up the plans for wind and solar generators.