The Arid Lands Environment Centre is deeply disappointed by the Western Australian Government decision to open up the Canning Basin to fracking, which could blow Australia’s carbon budget twice over on its own.

Like in the Northern Territory, the McGowan Government came to power promising to ban fracking in the Southern regions and to put a moratorium on fracking across the Kimberley, Pilbara and Mid West. Both the NT and WA have undergone scientific inquiries into the process of hydraulic fracturing and both have seen unprecedented public support for bans on the controversial process.

Now Western Australia joins the Northern Territory in allowing fracking to go ahead, despite the huge climate risks.

“With the latest IPPC Report providing the starkest call to action on climate change yet, our elected leaders are continuing to ignore the warnings,” said Nicole Pietsch, Acting CEO Arid Lands Environment Centre.

“Opening up new gas reserves in WA and the NT is going to be a climate disaster, jeopardising any meaningful action elsewhere in Australia, and significantly increasing overall Australian emissions.”

“Fracking the Beetaloo Basin in the NT could increase Australian overall emissions by 5%, and the full exploitation of all of WA’s gas resources would be 4.4 times higher that what Australia’s entire energy system can emit to comply with the Paris Agreement.”

“Fracking the NT and WA is an issue of national importance and Australians need to get behind the remote communities on the frontline of fracking and stop these developments going ahead.”

“One of the best ways Australia can meet its’ Paris climate commitments is to not open up new unconventional gas reserves and ban fracking in NT and WA.”

“The future is in renewable energy, and we need courageous leadership to bring about the urgent transition to a low carbon economy,” said Nicole Pietsch.