Letter

In response to Green light for gas: North West Shelf gas plant cleared to run until 2070

Gas export controls

One of the issues consistently raised with the approval for the North West Shelf  extension is the impact of the use of the gas in the importing countries. This impact is generally ignored.

What I would like to see is something akin to our position on the export of uranium which is contingent on the uranium only being used for certain purposes. If a broadly similar position was adopted for our gas exports, we should, for example, only export to countries that have a credible pathway to net zero by 2050 (IPCC endorsed?), and failure to adhere to the pathway would be considered a breach of contract, and exports halted.

I’m sure with a bit of thought a coherent policy along these lines could be developed.

— Brian Bycroft from Evans Head NSW