Comments attributable to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter:

“Labor won the last Federal election on a promise of delivering the urgent, decisive climate action Australians want and deserve. Minister King’s announcement today is not only a betrayal of that commitment, it is a step closer to a more unsafe future for us all. This is no better than a smoker saying they are giving up, but in reality just swapping one brand of cigarettes for another.

“Minister King’s so-called strategy might as well have been written by the fossil fuel lobby; it is full of measures to ease the way for new gas, and conveniently light on measures to protect the threatened species that will be harmed in the process. It reads like a blank cheque for the industry to drill as they please, no matter the cost to our communities, and our climate.

“At a time when the science is crystal clear that any new fossil fuels are incompatible with a safe future, and global leaders—including Australia—have agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, this government is flogging fossil fuel furphies like “green gas” instead of proven and affordable renewable energy solutions. 

“Minister King’s reckless strategy is completely at odds with the Labor government’s progress towards its own Net Zero Emissions targets. It will deliver profits for gas exporters in the short term while saddling Australians with worsening extreme weather, more costly energy, redundant gas infrastructure and a less competitive economy. 

“This government must act in the best interest of the Australian people. For starters, we know that Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will soon decide whether to let Woodside develop the most polluting parts of the Burrup Hub—Browse and the Northwest Shelf extension. We call on Minister Plibersek not to approve these proposals.

“The light on the hill cannot be powered by gas. Minister King is wrong on the science, doing wrong to the people of Australia, and is undermining the Labor government’s standing, at home and abroad. 

“The Australian people are watching closely, as are our Pacific family. We urge  Ministers Plibersek, Bowen and King to ensure that this government’s legacy is not broken promises; but rather, a safe and thriving future for us all.”

Comments attributable to Shiva Gounden, Head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific:

“For our people in the Pacific, today’s news is a dagger in the back. At the COP28 summit, Minister Bowen referred to the Pacific as ‘our brothers and sisters’. But to truly be a family, you need to stop making the same mistakes again and again. What the Pacific needs right now is a stop to all expansion of fossil fuels – that means gas as well.”

“While Minister King courts Japanese investment, Minister Bowen will need to meet Pacific Island communities face-to-face at future COP meetings: will he stand by and allow this to happen? This Government knows that Australia’s fraught relationship with the Pacific relies on real climate action, not rhetoric.

“If the Australian government is serious about supporting its Pacific vuvale, it must uphold its commitment made at COP28 in Dubai to transition away from all fossil fuels. You can’t transition away by opening new fossil projects. It makes no sense.”

You’ll find a copy of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s own submission to the Future Gas Strategy (November 2023) here.

—ENDS—

For more information or to arrange an interview:

• With David Ritter, please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 (Sydney)

• General enquiries: Lisa Wills on 0456 206 021 (Melbourne)

“Australia has one of the world’s worst rates of deforestation, driven mostly by the beef industry. Every single day about 100,000 native animals are killed from this destruction as threatened species habitat, including for the iconic koala, is bulldozed at a rate of knots. 

“In just five years, 668,000 hectares of koala habitat was bulldozed by the beef industry for pasture — that’s 2,400 times the size of Sydney CBD. 

“It is simply not credible for the beef industry to cook up their own fantasy definition of deforestation and deny there is a problem — it’s like the fox guarding the henhouse.

“Any meaningful definition of deforestation must include threatened species habitat and regenerated forest — this is the widely accepted, global best practice approach. To ignore vital habitat for the endangered koala, for example, will not pass muster. Claims that the vast swathes of forest bulldozed for beef is for weed management are patently false. 

“Major global markets like the EU are moving rapidly towards responsibly-sourced beef — if the beef industry doesn’t clean up its act, it risks losing market and financial access. It’s deeply disappointing to see the Minister for Agriculture seemingly go against his own government’s goal of zero new species extinctions by railing against the EU’s critically important deforestation-free regulations.

“Any company in the beef supply chain, or financial institutions supporting the industry, should be very careful with any public claims they are deforestation-free based on deliberately weak definitions completely out of step with global best practice. 

“Market and financial regulators have made it clear that greenwashing is a priority area of concern and Greenpeace will be referring any suspect claims to these regulators. 

“The good news is that we already have the solutions — it’s only a relatively small number of operators doing most of the damage. The Australian beef industry can eliminate deforestation from the entire supply chain and be a leader in responsible beef production — this should be the focus of the industry, not continuing to deny a very serious problem.”

—ENDS—

High res images and footage of recent deforestation can be found here

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 or kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org

Woodside, Australia’s polluter-in-chief, had a terrible day at its annual general meeting.

Shareholders and concerned Australians voted down Woodside’s ‘climate’ plan simply because it wasn’t going far enough to tackle the climate crisis.

This is a massive blow to Woodside’s credibility – banks, super funds, institutional investors and thousands of shareholders have said its ‘climate’ plan isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.

Communities here in Australia and the Pacific deserve a safe climate future.

Woodside’s Burrup Hub is the most polluting fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia today. Approving new fossil fuel projects will endanger countless lives and recklessly lock Australia into more fossil fuels as the rest of the world shifts to cleaner, cheaper renewable energy.

We’ve spent the past 2 years fighting to stop Woodside from going ahead with its disastrous plans in WA. And now the finish line is in sight. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has Woodside’s plans on her desk right now and we know she cares deeply for the environment and our oceans. Let’s make sure Plibersek receives an avalanche of emails opposing Woodside’s Burrup Hub.

You can use our simple tool to email Plibersek in just a few clicks.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific is currently taking Woodside to the Federal Court for making previous statements that we believe were misleading or deceptive about its plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek today announced that the federal government will establish two new agencies – the EPA and Environmental Information Australia – as a matter of priority, but failed to give clear timelines on the bigger promise to deliver a new and vastly improved national nature law.

The federal government committed to doing so this term in its Nature Positive Plan.

Glenn Walker, Head of Nature at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said that in the face of a biodiversity and climate crisis, there was no time to lose in delivering a full and comprehensive package of reforms.

“Every single second, a native animal is killed from deforestation in Australia. Tens of thousands of hectares of koala habitat is bulldozed without environmental assessment each year. Weak laws and government inaction have made Australia a world leader in deforestation and biodiversity destruction. 

“The situation is urgent — there is simply no time to lose to save our forests and wildlife from the brink of extinction.

“We welcome the establishment of the new, properly resourced and independent EPA and in particular the Minister’s commitment to tackle rampant illegal deforestation. But the EPA will not have the teeth it needs until a strong national nature law also comes into place — forest destruction can also only be dealt with substantively with these legislative changes.

“It is also essential that the EPA is given powers to assess and reject large coal and gas projects where the climate impacts on nature are assessed as significant. Following the hottest year on record, it’s completely untenable that the existing nature law fails to allow this — another reason why it’s critical that the government gets on with the job of introducing the new nature law into parliament as soon as possible.

“What the government has announced today is a bit like a pub without beer — while the new institutions are welcome and important parts of the reform needed, the job is only finished when a strong and ambitious nature law is in place and environmental destruction is stopped.”

The announcement comes following confirmation today that the world is experiencing its fourth global coral bleaching event — the second in the last 10 years — with the Great Barrier Reef currently impacted by severe bleaching.

—ENDS—

High res images and footage of recent deforestation can be found here and here

Media contacts

Kimberley Bernard on 0407 581 404 or kimberley.bernard@greenpeace.org

Kate O’Callaghan on 0406 231 892 or kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org 

If completed, the Burrup Hub would produce gas until 2070 – a full 20 years after Australia is meant to reach net zero emissions – and would emit 6.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime. The Browse Field – the most polluting part of the Burrup Hub – would see up to 50 gas wells drilled around Scott Reef off the coast of Western Australia, which is home to endangered pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

The protest comes as Woodside received approvals for its controversial seismic blasting off the coast of Western Australia, in endangered whale habitat and near the UNESCO-protected Ningaloo reef, just two months after a Federal Court threw out its previous approval.

Greenpeace is campaigning against fossil fuel giant Woodside as Australia’s biggest climate threat. It is responsible for the most polluting fossil fuel project proposed for Australia, the Burrup Hub gas project.

If completed, the Burrup Hub would produce gas until 2070 and would emit 6.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime. The Browse Field – the most polluting part of the Burrup Hub – would see up to 50 gas wells drilled around Scott Reef off the coast of Western Australia, which is home to endangered pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

Woodside received approvals for its controversial seismic blasting off the coast of Western Australia, in endangered whale habitat and near the UNESCO-protected Ningaloo reef, just two months after a Federal Court threw out its previous approval.

The four highly trained Greenpeace climbers began the ascent in the early hours of the morning, where they attached the banner in direct line of sight from the Woodside offices.

It comes as Woodside received approvals for its dangerous seismic blasting off the Pilbara coast, in endangered whale habitat and near the UNESCO-protected Ningaloo reef on Friday, just two months after a Federal Court threw out its previous approval.

“Fossil fuel giant Woodside and its monstrous Burrup Hub gas project are not only Australia’s biggest climate threat, but a huge threat to Australia’s precious whales and wildlife,” said David Ritter, Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s CEO.​​​​​​​

“Woodside is a double whammy of destruction, endangering whales and Australia’s transition away from fossil fuels. Woodside is driving Australia deeper and faster into the climate crisis with its massive fossil fuel expansion plans. We won’t stand for it. We are here to say enough is enough.

“Australians overwhelmingly want climate action – but fossil fuel giants like Woodside is standing in the way, pushing outrageous new gas projects that threaten our oceans and cook our climate.”

New emissions data released last week from Greenpeace revealed that Woodside’s Burrup Hub is Australia’s biggest climate threat, projected to emit 6.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its proposed 50-year lifetime, bigger than the combined total of the next two largest proposed fossil fuel projects in Australia.

The Browse field, the most polluting part of the Burrup Hub, would see up to 50 gas wells drilled around the pristine Scott Reef, which is home to endangered pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

The action comes on the thematic day of Energy and Industry and Just Transitions at the world’s biggest climate conference, COP28, in Dubai.

“The world’s annual climate conference is happening right now, where experts are calling time on fossil fuel companies like Woodside, saying they cannot keep trashing our climate with dirty new gas projects. We want clean, green jobs in Australia, not more dirty gas,” said Sophie McNeill, Greenpeace senior campaigner.

“The recent approval for Woodside’s seismic blasting proves the current laws and regulations are failing to protect our oceans and marine life from harmful new fossil fuel projects. The law needs to be significantly strengthened to protect our oceans for future generations.” ​​​​​​​

Joe Palmer, a Greenpeace Australia Pacific activist who climbed the crane, said: “I’ve taken this action today because Woodside is threatening our oceans and our climate. I’ve seen the precious reefs at risk from Woodside’s drilling off the west coast and endured bushfires on the east coast. Australia should be proud of our nature and we should be proud to call ourselves a green energy superpower, but Woodside wants to chuck our reputation in the bin.

“Australia is already facing unprecedented and unseasonal bushfires and heatwaves because of global heating, fuelled by the burning of fossil fuels at the hands of companies like Woodside.

“Woodside needs to listen to the science. It’s on the wrong side of history. That’s why we need to stop Woodside.”

Greenpeace is calling on the Federal Government to reject Woodside’s Burrup Hub Proposal.

—ENDS—

Photos and video of the protest will be uploaded here: https://media.greenpeace.org/Detail/27MZIFJFYDGP0

Contextual photos and b-roll available here: https://media.greenpeace.org/Detail/27MZIFJF7LD6B

The Burrup Hub will release over 6.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions in its lifetime to 2070. You can find out more about Woodside’s proposed climate-wrecking gas plans here.

We’ve come to Shark Bay with marine scientist Dr Olaf Meynecke to document one of this area’s many incredible wild features – the lush seagrass meadows that provide habitat, food and shelter for marine wildlife. Seagrasses are aquatic flowering plants that form meadows in coastal waters, creating vital ecosystems for ocean health.

Seagrass is also one of the most important blue carbon sinks, vital to tackling climate change. Per hectare, seagrasses can store up to twice as much carbon than terrestrial forests. Research estimates the global seagrass ecosystem organic carbon pool could be as high as 19.9 billion metric tons.

Shark Bay’s seagrass bank covers 1030 square kilometres, making it the largest seagrass meadow in the world. It provides food and shelter for around 10,000 dugongs who make their home in the bay – that’s 10 per cent of the world’s entire dugong population.

As the RHIBs speed away from the Rainbow Warrior towards Shark Bay, loggerhead turtles surface close to the boat, bobbing for an instant before darting back to the azure depths.

It doesn’t take long for the first dugong sighting, spotted by a member of our team a short snorkel away from the boat. Dugongs, commonly known as “sea cows”, are the peaceful grazers of the ocean, and they depend on healthy sea grass to survive.

If there is not enough seagrass to eat then, it affects the dugong’s breeding cycle. And that means that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, poses a particular risk to these gentle creatures.

In 2011 Shark Bay was hit by a catastrophic marine heatwave that destroyed 900 square kilometres of seagrass. Shark Bay was recently rated one of the World Heritage Areas with the highest vulnerability to climate change, using the Climate Change Vulnerability Index.

A high likelihood of extreme marine heat events, such as the 2011 event that destroyed so much seagrass, is predicted to have catastrophic consequences in Shark Bay. The region is also threatened by increasingly frequent and intense storms, and warming air temperatures.

But for now, Shark Bay is healthy and teeming with life. And that includes a thriving shark population.

Making our way back to the Rainbow Warrior, Dr Meynecke spots circling seabirds, which have gathered to feast on a bait ball, a silvery, tightly packed mass of thousands of fish. Dropping into the water to document it, our team encounters several large bronze whalers circling in close to investigate these strange creatures who’ve interrupted their lunch. The team is elated by their encounter with the ocean’s apex predator – but quick to make their way back to the boat when the sharks come a little too close for comfort.

Fossil fuel company Woodside’s dangerous plans for the Burrup Hub put the magnificent creatures that inhabit Shark Bay at risk.  Climate change is causing more frequent and intense marine heatwaves, with the world’s ocean surface temperatures recently hitting record highs. This could have lethal consequences for the seagrass meadows of Shark Bay.

Woodside’s Burrup Hub would produce twelve times Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions if it goes ahead, posing an unacceptable risk to this unique and special place.

Shark Bay is like nowhere on earth. We must act to protect it. 

Email Your MP

By Fiona Ivits

The Abrolhos Islands are a biodiversity hotspot, and a designated Mission Blue Hope Spot, a place identified as critical to ocean health. They are one of the world’s most important breeding grounds for seabirds, home to colourful fish, dolphins, sharks and a plethora of wild and beautiful marine life.

The Abrolhos Islands have a dark past. They were the site of one of Australia’s most gruesome historical incidents, the shipwreck and bloody mutiny of the Dutch ship Batavia. A band of mutineers carried out a brief, savage reign of terror, murdering 125 men, women and children over a few short months.

But this site of historical mayhem has now become a crucial place of refuge for coral. These islands are home to some of Australia’s most unique corals. The fringing reefs surrounding the Abrolhos are the southernmost tropical corals found in the Indian Ocean. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find sea lions and coral reefs in the same place.

We have docked at the Abrolhos to document the coral here and to assess its health, with our on-board marine biologists Franzi, an oceans campaigner from Greenpeace Germany, and Dr Olaf Meynecke. The cooler southern waters mean that the Abrolhos coral hasn’t suffered the same catastrophic climate change-driven bleaching that we’ve seen in many parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

Branching corals, which are fast disappearing from tropical waters on the Australian east coast, are in abundance here, threaded with flickering, colourful fish. Sea lions watch us lazily from the beach while seabirds glide silently overhead, occasionally diving to snatch at the turquoise water.

But this ocean paradise is vulnerable to climate damage. Cooler waters have protected the coral of the Abrolhos Islands until now but with oceans warming at an alarming rate the threat is escalating. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned in its most recent report that if global warming exceeds the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees, our last coral refuges, like the Abrolhos, will disappear.

Fossil fuel company Woodside’s plans for its vast Burrup Hub gas project put these fragile, beautiful corals at risk. The Burrup Hub is set to release over six billion tonnes of climate pollution if it goes ahead, and will keep on pumping out toxic emissions all the way through to 2070. That’s well beyond the timeline that we need to cut emissions by if we want to protect coral.

The coral refuge of the Abrolhos Islands is too important to lose. We must act now to protect this wild and special place.

Email your MP today.

By Fiona Ivits

Woodside Energy aims to start risky seismic surveying for its Scarborough gas project. The process uses underwater airguns to blast powerful sound waves towards the seabed to assess fossil fuel reservoirs beneath the ocean floor.

The area Woodside plans to conduct seismic surveying in is in proximity to whale migration routes and close to the UNESCO-protected Ningaloo Reef. Seismic surveying can seriously injure whales and potentially kill other marine life. A growing body of research indicates that this noise pollution can damage, sometimes permanently, the hearing of whales and fish, as well as kill important prey species like plankton. Greenpeace believes that Woodside’s plan poses a particular threat to pygmy blue whales. This includes conducting seismic blasting activities during the endangered pygmy blue whale migration periods.

A worst-case scenario accident during seismic surveying could impact marine wildlife almost 1,000km away, potentially affecting four Marine Protected Areas.

Current auto industry planning is not aligned with a 1.5°C compatible carbon budget and might result in millions of vehicles manufacturers can’t sell. This report aims to shed light on these questions. It defines the number of ICE vehicles that could still be sold within a 1.5°C carbon trajectory and projects the auto industry’s ICE sales based on the assessment of four major manufacturers’ plans – Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai / Kia and General Motors – and quantifies the overshoot.

A decade of inaction on climate change has seen Australia and its Pacific Island neighbours suffer through catastrophic bushfire, floods and cyclones, causing environmental, social and economic devastation. The Climate Change Bill thus provides a welcome foundation on which to build a safer climate future for Australians and our regional neighbours in the Pacific.