Western Australia’s peak conservation group has strongly criticised the Morrison Government’s plan to fast track approval for Australia’s most polluting fossil fuel project – the Woodside Burrup Hub development - saying the approval would deny clean job opportunities for West Australians while doing immense damage to the environment and climate.

Western Australia’s peak conservation organisation has raised the alarm about the release of new onshore gas exploration leases in the Perth and Carnarvon basins, saying the leases undermine the McGowan Government’s commitments on fracking and climate change at a time when Western Australians overwhelmingly wants a renewable energy led the economic recovery, not more gas pollution.

Western Australians overwhelmingly support economic stimulus measures that deliver action on climate change and make the state a fairer place to live, according to new research conducted by Patterson Research Group and released today.

Once again the prospect of an East-West intercontinental gas pipeline has reared its head as the Morrison Government’s pro-gas COVID-19 recovery commission (led by gas man Nev Power) has promoted this as a way to power Eastern States industry with cheap gas from the West.

Last week, Woodside was hit with a record-breaking investor push to act on climate change.

The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has today released an amended policy on carbon pollution which adopts the Paris Agreement goal of net-zero emissions, however, a lack of clarity on how the policy will be applied to individual projects under assessment risks the potential for legal challenges, according to Western Australia’s peak environment group the Conservation Council of WA.

Western Australia’s leading conservation and climate change organisation is calling for Woodside Petroleum to be prosecuted, as new documents reveal systemic compliance breaches on carbon pollution across both of its WA LNG facilities.

A statement from the Commonwealth offshore oil and gas regulator (NOPSEMA) announcing approval for Woodside’s Scarborough LNG development has drawn strong criticism from conservation groups. The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) has vowed to continue to challenge the project which the group claims are part of the most polluting fossil fuel development in Australia’s history.

Conservation groups have welcomed an announcement from Woodside that the company will not proceed with investments in Australia’s most polluting fossil fuel development this year. The groups have urged the company to abandon its plans for the Burrup Hub expansion altogether and instead pursue investments in renewable energy and green hydrogen.

New pollution data released by the Australian Clean Energy Regulator show that Shell has failed to control emissions from its giant Prelude floating-LNG project as the costs of this pollution will be transferred to Australian taxpayers according to Western Australia’s peak environment group.