Beetaloo and Barossa projects must be stopped. Landmark IPCC report reveals methane from natural gas is a new warming threat.
Gunner Government is misleading NT on emissions offsets.
The shocking warnings from The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) should be the end of NT’s new gas projects, according to the Environment Centre NT (ECNT).
Hundreds of the world’s top climate scientists have found that quickly reducing methane is one of the few ways to stop the temperature rising above 1.5C on pre-industrial levels.
The NT has already warmed by 1.4 degrees.
Kirsty Howey, Co-Director of the Environment Centre Northern Territory said
“Time is up on gas. We have less than a decade to save our coasts, reefs and heritage from the worst effects of global warming.
“Yet the NT and Federal Governments are on a kamikaze mission to accelerate us towards climate collapse by opening up two massive carbon bombs: the Barossa and the Beetaloo.
“Santos’ Barossa project is one of the dirtiest in the world and has been described by economist John Robert as a “carbon dioxide emissions factory with an LNG by-product". Territorians have no idea how these emissions will be offset, or if they can be offset.
“Production of gas in the Beetaloo could increase Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 20%. Territorians have no idea how these emissions will be offset, and ECNT does not believe they can or will be offset. Only last week the Commonwealth revealed at the Senate Inquiry into oil and gas exploration that they were not responsible for offsetting emissions from the Beetaloo, calling into question the Chief Minister’s comments on ABC Darwin radio this morning that the NT and Commonwealth Governments are “working together” to offset Beetaloo emissions.
“These projects would condemn Territorians to a dangerously extreme environment with worse cyclones, erratic rainfall, extreme temperatures, saltwater incursion into drinking water aquifers, and an inundated Kakadu National Park and coastline.
“Claiming the greenhouse gas pollution from these mega projects can be offset is pure fantasy. Territorians shouldn’t be lied to.
“The IPCC report said that methane from gas must be slashed to keep a safe climate. It is negligent to suggest that gas is part of the solution to global warming. Gas is the problem, not the solution.
“With devastating fires, floods and storms across the globe, the Gunner government and Australia has a responsibility to stop these reckless and dangerous projects,” she added.
METHANE FACTS
- Natural gas is mainly methane
- Methane is more than 80 times more powerful at heating the atmosphere than CO2
- Methane levels have risen sharply in recent years
- Australia is one of the world’s biggest exporters of liquified natural gas (LNG)
Media contact: Kirsty Howey 0488 928 811