In a week where we have heard that the Northern Territory has had the hottest July on record, the Northern Territory Scientific inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing has been told by a leading researcher that fracking the McArthur Basin could release four to five times as much greenhouse gas emissions as the proposed Adani Carmichael mine.
Chemical Engineer Tim Forcey has appeared before the Inquiry this week expressing concerns over the climate cost of opening up the Territory to fracking. His research has found that 22 billion tonnes of CO2 would be released into the atmosphere if the estimated 240 trillion cubic feet of gas in the McArthur basin was extracted through fracking, which equals 22 years of Australia’s carbon emissions. Once the gas was burnt it would contribute 35 billion tonnes.
“In a week where the Bureau of Meteorology has contributed the three degrees above average temperatures in the NT to climate change, we have leading researcher Tim Forcey telling the fracking inquiry of the climate carbon bomb that would be released if the NT is opened up to fracking,” said Jimmy Cocking, Director of the Arid Lands Environment Centre.
“These figures only reinforce what groups and community members opposed to the practice of fracking have been saying all along – the risk to our climate, our water and environment is too great and that fracking must be banned,” said Mr Cocking.
“Wednesday 2nd August also marked Earth Overshoot Day, where globally we have used a years worth of resources in just 7 months. If every country in the world lived like Australia, Earth Overshoot Day would have been on March 12. Australians are the highest carbon emitters on the planet which highlights the irresponsible approach by our governments by continuing to invest in fossil fuels.”
“If we are serious about tackling climate change then there must be a policy of no new fossil fuel projects or infrastructure. Solar is now the cheapest energy technology and there must be an urgent transition to renewable energy. The Northern Territory Government must fast-track their Roadmap to Renewables and urgently develop a climate policy that details how the NT will reduce emissions,” said Mr Cocking.
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