The approval of the Northern Gas Pipeline yesterday by the Gunner Government will have significant ramifications in opening up the Northern Territory to industrial scale fracking, and for taking meaningful action on climate change states the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC).
ALEC has been staunchly opposed to the Northern Gas Pipeline due to it’s stated economic justification to ‘stimulate the development of the Northern Territory through increased gas exploration and production’, and acknowledges the role that the pipeline will play in locking the Northern Territory into a fossil fuelled future.
Despite NT Government assertions that the pipeline will only transport an over-supply of conventional gas, pipeline company Jemena yesterday publicly stated again the long-term vision to expand the pipeline and transport fracked gas to east coast markets. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2016/s4663034.htm
“Once the Northern Gas Pipeline is built it provides vital infrastructure for the gas industry to open up the NT to industrial scale unconventional gas fields, and transport fracked gas to east coast and international markets,” said Jimmy Cocking, Director of the Arid Lands Environment Centre.
“Approving the pipeline before the Fracking Inquiry and the Roadmap to Renewables reports have been delivered just does not make sense. In a time when we are failing miserably to address the seriousness of climate change, we need a really clear vision forward before approving major fossil fuel infrastructure.”
“The NT Government is failing future generations by approving the pipeline without taking significant immediate actions for a rapid transition to renewable energy. We need to see how the NT Government is going to meet it’s election commitment of 50% renewable energy by 2030 – surely this report is critical in helping determine which fossil fuel projects are supported?”
“Globally if we are to limit temperature rise to 2C this requires 80% of all known fossil fuel deposits to remain unburned and in the ground. This means no new fossil fuel projects or infrastructure. As the report released from the scientists of the Climate Council last week demonstrates, gas can be just as polluting as coal (http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/price-of-gas) and any investment in gas delays the transition to renewable energy.”
“Territorians have made a very strong stance against the process of fracking at the last election, which saw the CLP Giles Government annihilated and the Gunner Government swept to power with a fracking moratorium platform. The Northern Gas Pipeline must not go ahead and there will be many people across the country who will be working to ensure that it doesn’t,” said Jimmy Cocking.