2020-11-25
Despite Federal Government approval for the Santos Narrabri gas field, the community still has two years to stop the project and save Narrabri, Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP says.
Santos has until 2022 to decide whether to proceed with the project following an 18 month appraisal phase.
With the project not stacking up economically, environmentally, or against our obligation to stop global warming, the Greens say pressure must be kept on the government and Santos to not proceed.
Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:
“Gas is as dirty as coal, and significantly more expensive. Cracking open the Narrabri gas wells doesn’t stack up economically or environmentally and Santos has two years to realise that,” Mr Bandt said.
“Over the course of this 18 month study, Santos will see the world increasingly choose renewables over fossil fuels like coal or gas. A gas-fired recovery doesn’t make sense now, and in 2022 it will be as out-of-date as whale oil.
“Sussan Ley may have waved this through, but it’s far from over. The community has been fighting this climate bomb for a decade, and they’re not going to stop now.
“When the Liberals look at this project they only see big donations coming their way from the methane industry. The community looks at Santos and sees poisoned water, expensive energy, and a dead climate. People are angry, and they’re not going to give up that easily.
“To everyone fighting against Narrabri, whether it’s on the picket lines in the Pilliga or from further afield, we’re right there in the thick of it with you. If we want to save our climate, this project can’t go ahead, and the Greens will join you in the fight against climate destruction.”
Quotes attributable to Greens Environment Spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young:
“The fight against this climate bomb isn’t over. Santos may have the tick of approval from government but it will never have a social licence for this polluting project.
“We saw with the Fight for the Bight campaign what can happen when the community stands up against mining giants.
“We need to do the same to Santos and make sure they know, Australians don’t want another gas field.
“The Greens will keep up the fight in the Parliament including pushing to reform our weak environmental laws that allow governments to wave these projects through despite the risk to the environment, water and the climate.”