Australia's Climate Leadership Tested by Gas Expansion Plans
The Australian government faces mounting pressure over its contradictory energy policies as it prepares to take centre stage in global climate negotiations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's administration continues to approve new fossil gas projects while simultaneously positioning Australia as a climate leader ahead of hosting next year's COP31 climate talks in Turkey.
International Energy Agency Sounds Alarm on LNG Glut
The International Energy Agency has issued a stark warning about a massive glut of liquefied natural gas supply developing worldwide. This surplus aligns with the IEA's current policy scenario that would push global warming to a catastrophic 3°C by 2100. Their latest net zero pathway clearly states that no new long-lead oil and gas projects are needed, with fossil gas use requiring rapid reduction to 40% below current levels by 2035.
Climate scientist Bill Hare highlights the fundamental contradiction in Australia's position. 'How can Australia convince the world to give up fossil fuels if Anthony Albanese is contradicting himself on gas expansion?' he questions. The Prime Minister recently doubled down on claims that gas remains essential for the energy transition, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Domestic Policy Clashes with International Commitments
Australia's recent approval of the massive North West Shelf development extending to 2070 directly conflicts with its international climate commitments. This comes despite the country joining more than 80 nations in signing the 'Belém declaration' on transitioning away from fossil fuels at COP30 in Brazil.
Albanese's government argues that Australian gas will be needed as backup for renewables, but simultaneously claims this 'firming' won't require new gas fields. These contradictory statements create significant doubts about Australia's ability to advance global fossil fuel phase-out agreements when it takes over negotiation leadership.
The situation is further complicated by a leaked Deloitte report warning that Australia's gas export boom to Asia could crowd out renewables and lock in substantial CO2 emissions for decades. Meanwhile, grid-scale battery technologies are rapidly making gas-fired 'firming' increasingly unnecessary.
Carbon capture and storage, often touted as a solution for fossil fuel emissions, has also been exposed as inadequate by the IEA. Research indicates that continued CCS deployment in Asia and Australia could add an extra 25 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by 2050.
Climate Impacts Already Hitting Home
The urgency of the situation is becoming increasingly visible across Australia. Recent reports detail massive coral mortality at Ningaloo Reef caused by climate change-fuelled marine heatwaves. Such ecosystems face complete collapse unless global net zero CO2 emissions are achieved within approximately 25 years.
As Bill Hare emphasises, 'Getting to net zero CO2 emissions globally means we can halt global warming. This requires a rapid phase-out. It's physics.' The scientific imperative leaves no room for continued fossil fuel expansion if the world hopes to maintain the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C guardrail.
With climate catastrophe unfolding visibly across the country, the Albanese government's contradictory energy policies are likely to face intensified scrutiny in the coming year as Australia prepares for its crucial role in steering international climate negotiations.
