Independent analysis of the projected carbon emissions from the Northern Territory's (NT’s) proposed Beetaloo Basin gas fracking project, and proposed processing at the Middle Arm gas hub, has found they've been gravely underestimated, as have the availability of offsets to deal with them.
The findings made by researchers at Climate Analytics call into question a key claim from the NT government, with Federal support, that there would be "no net increase in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions emitted in Australia from any onshore shale gas produced in NT".
This analysis also calls into question findings in an earlier report from the CSIRO Gas Industry Social & Environment Research Alliance (GISERA), which is nearly a third funded by the gas industry, and comes with submissions to the Senate Middle Arm Inquiry closing today.
A number of Northern Territory doctors, environmentalists and locals are available to respond to the analysis, including:
Northern Territory Paediatrician Dr Louise Woodward, said:
“The climate analytics report is shocking but unsurprising. This analysis shows just how harmful Tamboran's mega-gas project is.
“Tamboran's climate destroying emissions cannot be offset and their contribution to the climate crisis cannot be hidden. The onshore gas industry is dangerous for the health of local people, risks permanent contamination and depletion of precious water sources, and will drive the climate emergency.
“The Labor Government needs to protect the health of Australians, put a moratorium on fracking, remove the gas industry from the Middle Arm hub, and treat the climate crisis like the emergency that it is.”
Location: Darwin, NT
Environment Centre NT Executive Director Kirsty Howey said:
“This report finally uncovers the truth – we cannot both proceed with the disastrous Beetaloo and Middle Arm fracking projects and also have a liveable future.
“The Northern Territory and Australian governments must come clean. It is impossible to fully offset domestic emissions from fracking the Beetaloo Basin. To suggest otherwise is a blatant lie, and puts the future of life in the Northern Territory at risk.
“It’s well past time to abandon fracking, and the $1.9 billion taxpayer-funded fossil fuel subsidy promised by the Australian Government to prop up this dying industry.”
Location: Katherine, NT
Australian Parents for Climate Darwin member Phil Scott, said:
"It's getting hotter and we're experiencing more extreme weather in the Territory. Our children may well not have a future here because in less than 50 years a huge swathe of northern Australia, including communities like Darwin, will become exposed to extreme heat and be unliveable.
"We can't afford to dig up and export more gas. We're asking the Federal and Territory governments to be better and withdraw all subsidies for new fossil fuel projects because securing a safe future for our children depends on it.
"This new research from Climate Analytics shows that GISERA has underestimated the carbon pollution fracking the Beetaloo and exporting the gas from Middle Arm would unleash.
"The existence of GISERA within CSIRO looks to us like a clear example of state capture.
"As Territory parents, we're disturbed by the apparent capture of government decision-making by the fossil fuel industry. Any decisions to proceed with these fossil fuel projects represent an existential threat for us and our families.
Location: Katherine, NT
To arrange interviews, please contact:
Dylan Quinnell: 0450 668 350 or dylan.quinnell@climatemediacentre.org.au