Australia, one of the world’s largest exporters of natural gas, admitted this Thursday that it will continue to develop the fossil fuel in the coming decades, despite a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Natural gas will remain an important source of energy beyond 2050, and its use will change as we improve industrial energy efficiency, consolidate renewable energy sources and reduce emissions,” Resources Minister Madeleine King said in a statement.
In a plan released this Thursday, the government said it wants to avoid natural gas shortages by pushing ahead with exploration projects to ensure the fuel continues to be exported and available to Australian families and businesses.
The document also includes incentives to increase marine area dedicated to carbon capture and storage projects, among other measures to support the transition to a green economy.
“Ensuring Australia continues to have adequate access to natural gas at a reasonable price will be critical to achieving an 82% renewable energy grid by 2030 and meeting our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050,” the Labor Prime Minister said Anthony Albanese, who was elected after promising to fight the climate crisis.
Natural gas accounts for 27% of Australia’s energy production, as well as 14% of the country’s exports.
Official forecasts show Australia is on track to end the 2023-24 financial year, which ends on June 30, with A$72 billion (€44,078 million) of liquefied natural gas exports.
“This is a giant step towards a dark past that is terrible for our climate future and must be abandoned,” lamented the Australian Conservation Foundation on social network X (formerly Twitter).
The Australia Institute stressed that the plan ignores the fact that only some of the natural gas produced is destined for the domestic market, given that most is exported to countries such as Japan and South Korea.
The think tank also accused the government of backing the strategy with “false promises” of carbon capture and storage to justify expanding polluting activities.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.