The recent action of the newly emboldened Albanese government has disappointed many. Promises are being made that the amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act are a priority but the decision to approve the Woodside North West gas extension to 2070 makes no sense. Australia is supposed to be achieving a goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
We need a basic change to the EPBC Act to make climate change a ‘matter of national environmental significance’ that will trigger the need for assessment of impacts that will define the approval conditions. Currently the impact on water resources related to coal seam gas and large coal mining development is a trigger for assessment but not carbon emissions.
Adding a climate trigger to the EPBC Act has been proposed at various times since 2000 but then dropped. Professor Samuel’s independent review of the EPBC Act considered a climate trigger but recommended against its inclusion, stating that specific policy mechanisms, not the EPBC Act, are appropriate for limiting greenhouse gas emissions. It is shocking that this situation is still in limbo when numerous fossil fuel projects have been approved or are under consideration such as the Whitehaven massive coal expansion in Queensland and the SANTOS Pilliga coal seam gas in NSW.
We look forward to working with our newly elected independent member Nicolette Boele. Her experience in renewable energy finance and sustainable investment will be valuable. Her election policy statement has many sensible proposals such as removing gas subsidies.