Scientists urge NT government to abandon its fracking project plans in the Beetaloo Basin
Nearly 100 leading Australian scientists have sent an open letter to the Northern Territory government urging it to abandon its gas fracking plans due to the serious impact it would have on the climate.
The letter has also been published in major newspapers across the country while the NT government makes their decision.
The letter says that fracking in the Northern Territory could result in up to 1.4 billion tonnes of emissions.
“The impacts of climate change, driven by fossil fuels, are escalating,” the letter said.
“Our ecosystems and way of life are under threat and many areas will become uninhabitable if emissions continue to rise.”
The government and the fracking industry said that the gas buried deep within the Beetaloo Basin, located 500 kilometres south of Darwin, could “solve Australia’s energy crisis, grow the NT’s economy, and create jobs.”
The government also allegedly completed an environmental assessment, recommended by the Pepper Inquiry, last month, which found “no risks associated with fracking.”
However, environmental groups say the scope of the assessment was too limited, and in the open letter, the scientists said that a key recommendation of the Pepper Inquiry had not been addressed.
“[The government] committed to implement all the recommendations of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing… Including that the NT and Australian governments seek to ensure that there is no net increase in the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions emitted in Australia from any onshore shale gas produced in the NT,” the letter said.
“The Northern Territory government has failed to keep its commitment.”
Matthew England, a professor at UNSW, said Australia’s emissions would significantly increase if fracking went ahead.
“Australia has been suffering severe bushfire seasons, intense flooding rains, we’re seeing our coral reefs die off before our eyes — all of these events are costing the Australian economy hugely,” Professor England said.
“We’ve made a pledge to get to net zero by 2050.
“That’s not very far away and yet we’re seeing more and more of these fossil fuel projects being commenced.
“Making a quick buck out of some fossil fuel extraction, to the detriment of Australian society and future generations, just makes no sense whatsoever.”
