Greens want science on coal seam gas, not smoke and mirrors

Submitted by Louise Sales on Fri, 19/08/2011 - 12:42

Comparisons between respected climate science and the smoke and mirrors presented by the gas industry are absurd, the Greens said today.

"All we are asking is that honest data on the climate impact of coal seam gas should be put on the table," Australian Greens Senator Larissa Waters, said.

"The community is already deeply concerned about the potential impact on prime farming land and the Great Artesian Basin from coal seam gas. If governments and industry are going to make bold claims about the climate benefits of this fuel, they had better be very confident indeed that those claims are true.

"So far not only has the Queensland government admitted that it has done no independent studies but the head of Origin Energy, Grant King, has also acknowledged that information on the climate impact of coal seam gas is 'less readily available'.

"Surely we don't want to sell out our farmers and our capacity to feed ourselves and others for possible marginal climate gain.

"We have alternatives for energy but no alternatives for food."

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said "The Commonwealth government should ensure that independent studies are done that present comprehensive empirical evidence of the full life-cycle emissions of Australian coal seam gas, from extraction through processing and transportation to point of use.

"The scientific evidence for climate change is on the table. Plenty of examples of truly zero pollution energy generation are up and running around the world, including baseload solar power stations that generate power through the night with molten salts.



"Meanwhile we are expected to take industry claims at face value that this new fossil fuel industry is substantially less polluting than coal."

Senator Waters said "When it comes to the burgeoning export market, the enormous energy investment in liquefying the gas needs to be taken into account, making its climate benefit that much smaller. This part of the equation appears to have been conveniently forgotten by industry, despite the bulk of coal seam gas being intended for export.

"Australians deserve to see the evidence and make a judgement on whether coal seam gas is an investment worth making."