2020-11-24
Today’s federal approval of Santos’ Narrabri gasfields will do untold damage to our ability to keep global warming to 2 degrees, the Australian Greens have said.
Instead of accepting gas expansion through a flawed planning process, the Greens have called for a green recovery - with public investment in clean energy, renewables, and green hydrogen.
Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:
“Gas is as dirty as coal. By cracking open the Narrabri gas wells, Sussan Ley is opening the floodgates for decades of climate damage, while locking Australia’s industries into a fuel that has passed its use-by date.
“Toxic methane is 86 times more damaging than carbon dioxide for the climate. We’re in a climate crisis, and expanding gas production isn’t just unnecessary, it’s dangerous.
“Santos themselves say this project will release 127.8 million tonnes of climate pollution into the atmosphere at a time when we desperately need to be reducing pollution by any means necessary.
“This project won’t employ enough people to fill a Melbourne tram. Instead of wasting public money on a gas-fired recovery that locks us into the fuel sources of the past, we need to be investing in a green recovery that creates tens of thousands of jobs in expanding clean energy production and turning Australia into a green hydrogen superpower.”
Quotes attributable to Greens Environment Spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young:
“The job of the Environment Minister is to protect the environment. But Sussan Ley seems intent on wrecking it. She is the Minister Against the Environment.
“There is no stopping the Morrison Government when it comes to doing the bidding of their mates in the mining industry.
“If the gas or coal industry has an environment-wrecking project they want to get off the ground the Morrison Government will smooth the path for them.
“We are in an environmental and climate crisis, and the last thing we need is more pollution.
“This is just another example of how our environment laws are failing and why the government’s fast-track approval plans need to be rejected by the Parliament next week.”