The Arid Lands Environment Centre welcomes the comprehensive detail in the Northern Territory Fracking Inquiry Draft Final Report released yesterday, but warns that fracking will never be accepted by the NT community.
The report acknowledges the myriad of risks that are associated with the process of fracking and makes 120 recommendations to reform the mining industry. However the report also acknowledges the widespread community concern over fracking.
“ALEC welcomes the consultative approach taken by the expert panel, and the effort taken to address community concerns. However at the end of the day most Territorians do not want to see the NT turned into industrial gasfields,” said Nicole Pietsch, Arid Lands Environment Centre Assistant Manager.
“Regardless of regulations, some risks will always remain. Accidents can and do happen. There will be impacts on some Indigenous communities. There will be impacts on tourism in certain areas. There will be impacts on our climate.”
“If the McArthur Basin alone is fracked it could release four to five times as much greenhouse gas emissions as the proposed Adani Carmichael mine. At the end of the day gas is a fossil fuel and we need to urgently transition to renewable energy.
“Fracking the Territory is not in line with the NT Government’s ambition to meet its 50% renewable energy target by 2030 and the NT Government hasn't even developed a climate policy to reduce emissions yet.'
“ALEC is calling for a ban on fracking and we will continue to work towards protecting our natural environment and climate.”
Territorians are encouraged to continue to voice their concerns and the attend the final round of community consultations in early 2018.
See update for details: https://frackinginquiry.nt.gov.au/news/community-update-26