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:
- Gas is a polluting fossil fuel: It's made up mostly of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Gas accelerates the climate crisis when it is released or burnt. When exported, it's just as bad for our climate as coal.
- This project is not needed to support renewable power in Australia. Most of it will be exported, and in WA where the project is located: only 0.7 – 1.0% of WA's gas supply is needed for electricity generation in the state over the next nine years. WA has more than enough gas to meet this need. Nationally, there is a small and declining role for gas in the switch to clean energy, and it is wrong to claim this project will play a role.
- Over its 45-year life, the project would lead to over 4 billion tonnes (gigatonnes) of climate pollution. This is more than double the two billion tonnes of climate pollution associated with the Coalition's nuclear scheme to 2050.
- This is equivalent to 10 years of Australia's current climate pollution, and will contribute to more intense and frequent unnatural disasters that are harming Australians.
- While most of the gas will be exported, the pollution from gas extraction and processing is expected to be 7.7 million tonnes per year - equivalent to the annual pollution from a coal-fired power station or 2.8 million cars. That would make it Australia's second most polluting fossil fuel facility.
- UNESCO has warned that industrial emissions from this gas facility are damaging 50,000-year-old Indigenous rock art. Instead of protecting the globally significant heritage site at Murujuga, the Albanese Government has waved through decades more pollution.
