Australia has announced plans to increase its extraction and consumption of natural gas until at least 2050, defying international calls to phase out fossil fuels in response to climate change.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration argues that this policy is necessary to ensure a stable energy supply domestically, while also facilitating a gradual transition to net-zero emissions. However, critics contend that the move disregards scientific evidence, pointing out that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has advocated for “dramatic reductions in the use of coal, oil, and gas” to meet global climate goals.
Australia is among the world’s top exporters of liquefied natural gas, and the government defends its policy by emphasizing its commitment to being a dependable trading partner. A new strategy, released Thursday, outlines the government’s plans to work with industry and state authorities to boost both the production and exploration of fossil fuels until at least 2050. Additionally, the government intends to continue supporting the expansion of existing gas projects, such as those run by Chevron and Woodside Energy Group in Western Australia.
The Australian government maintains that these measures are crucial for securing the country’s energy needs as it aims to generate 82% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, gas accounts for 27% of Australia’s energy consumption, with much of the domestically produced gas being exported to major trading partners like China, Japan, and South Korea. Nonetheless, gas is responsible for roughly a quarter of Australia’s total carbon emissions, according to government statistics.
The new policy has faced intense criticism from environmental groups and other detractors, who claim it prioritizes the interests of powerful fossil fuel companies over public welfare. Climate experts like Prof. Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics and a contributor to several UN climate change reports, have stated that natural gas is not a “transition fuel” but rather a significant source of CO2 emissions. Hare asserts that reliance on gas is one of the primary factors driving increases in global warming over the past decade.
Independent Senator David Pocock labeled the policy “morally bankrupt, negligent, and just plain stupid” in a statement released Thursday. Although successive Australian governments have promoted gas as a “bridging fuel,” suggesting that turning away from it too soon could severely affect Australia’s economy and energy security, critics like Prof. Hare warn that building a net-zero strategy around gas risks locking in 2.7-3°C of global warming, which could have dire consequences.
In 2015, world leaders agreed to strive to limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C, a threshold considered critical to preventing the worst effects of climate change. However, this limit was recently exceeded for the first time, with the EU’s climate service reporting that the average temperature from February 2023 to January 2024 surpassed the 1.5°C threshold.
