One hundred academics and scientists have banded together to sign a letter aimed at the Albanese government after it gave the green light to open up nearly 47,000 sq km of Aussie waters for “important” ocean gas and oil exploration.
The letter calls on the Albanese government to think about the emissions that coal and gas projects make before it approves them. You would think it already does that, but turns out it doesn’t.
“We, as pre-eminent scientists named below, are jointly calling on the Environment Minister to accept our shared climate reality, heed the science and ensure all environmental assessments of new gas and coal projects are responsible and evidence-based,” the letter read, per The Age.
“The science is unequivocal. From megafires to ocean heatwaves and acidification, extensive coral bleaching, drought and extreme rainfall and flooding events, we are now seeing and suffering through the scientifically predicted impacts of climate change across the country.
“Every tonne of greenhouse gas emissions and fraction of a degree of warming is a blow to the health of our ecosystems and economy. Any new coal or gas project will dangerously worsen climate change.”
One of the main concerns this group of Australia’s smartest minds has is that under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, government ministers do not have to think about climate change at all when approving these fucked up projects.
You know, the same projects that will have disastrous effects on our climate.
Felicity Wade from the Labor Environmental Action Network (LEAN) told The Age that if there is ever a new environment act, it can take climate change into account in three ways.
“The impact of a changing climate on wildlife and ecosystems as the place gets hotter and drier, the emissions impact of land clearing and logging — both major contributors in themselves and the greenhouse impact of all new industrial development including fossil fuel developments.”
Honestly, that’s the tea.
If Anthony Albanese and his government would like to reach net zero by 2050 it might need to get their shit in order first. It’s absurd that a government that criticised Scott Morrison for climate inaction is approving projects left, right and centre that will damage our planet.
