2016-03-11
The Australian Greens are calling for a Australia to follow US President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau who have agreed to better monitoring and sharp reductions in methane climate pollution from gas fracking.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said:
“Australia’s coal seam gas and shale gas industries are expanding rapidly, but their wells and pipes leak potent climate-polluting methane like a sieve.
“Australia relies on outdated estimates called ‘emissions factors’ to measure this dangerous climate-polluting gas in most instances, not actual measurements.
“Climate pollution from ‘fugitive emissions’ from coal and gas is the fastest growing type of pollution in Australia, reaching eight per cent, but we don’t even have the full picture.
“The CSIRO have done one narrow study on methane pollution from fracking covering just 43 wells which found large methane leaks and admitted that the science was not settled.
“Now the next stage of that study is delayed by more than six months, while the frackers continue to go for broke.”
“While the US and Canada are cracking down on this rouge industry by mandating monitoring and pollution cuts of up to 45 per cent, Australia is doing nothing.
“Unconventional gas and fracking are a threat to our farmland, our groundwater, and a safe climate,” Senator Waters said.