More than 2.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide could be ignored by planning authorities if the NSW Government successfully passes its Environmental Planning and Assessment (Territorial Limits) Bill.
A new analysis by Lock the Gate Alliance determined the figure based on estimates from resource companies who are pursuing 12 major coal and gas projects now in the planning pipeline, most of which are likely to be determined in the coming 18 months.
The Territorial Limits Bill seeks to limit planning authorities’ ability to take into account downstream emissions from burning coal and gas when considering major resource projects in NSW.
The analysis will be tabled during a public hearing into the Bill today (Thursday February 6).
Lock the Gate NSW spokesperson Georgina Woods said the figure was evidence of what was at stake should the Berejiklian Government pass the Bill.
“More than two billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from eleven new coal mining projects and a coal seam gasfield could be ignored by planning authorities over the coming 18 months if this controversial piece of legislation goes ahead,” she said.
“That’s equivalent to the entire amount of greenhouse gas pollution produced by Russia in 2017 (2.1 billion tonnes).
“This greenhouse pollution is additional to the contribution our coal export industry is already making to global climate change, which is fueling catastrophic bushfires.
“When we’re in an emergency like this, it’s dangerous for the government to discourage planning authorities from thinking through the consequences of new coal mines and gasfields.
“This figure includes the downstream emissions from the proposed controversial Narrabri coal seam gasfield that on its own would produce a further 94.2 million tonnes of downstream greenhouse gases.
“The NSW Government introduced this Bill under pressure from the NSW Minerals Council, but we can’t afford to let the mining lobby dictate policy that is so important to our state.”
“The NSW Government must scrap this Bill and let the Independent Planning Commission do its job free from political and industry interference.”