9th of October 2024
- The methane polluters have been busted: coal and gas
- Coal and gas lobbyists have been using farmers as a shield for years
- The myth that farming is the biggest methane producer is busted
It’s official: The biggest methane polluters in the country are the coal and gas industries.
The Open Methane tool was released today and revealed that all 20 of Australia’s methane
hotspots are coal and gas mines, exploding the myth that farming is the biggest cause of
methane.
Farmers for Climate Action CEO Natalie Collard said the powerful coal and gas lobbies had
falsely claimed farmers were a key cause of the methane problem for years.
“The coal and gas industries have been using farmers as shields,” Ms Collard said.
“Australia can reduce its methane pollution by a huge percentage without impacting our food
supply- we need the coal and gas industries to do this for Australia.
“It’s time to call coal and gas out for the damage they’re doing to farming. Coal and gas are
making climate change worse, which is making droughts, fires and floods worse. Our farmers
can’t keep farming through repeating droughts, fire and floods. There are many alternative ways
to create energy but there are no alternative ways to grow food- we need farmers.
“The fact coal and gas companies aren’t even required to directly measure or accurately report
their methane pollution is disgraceful- we need to hold polluters to account and we can’t do that
if we don’t even count the methane coal and gas are producing. Now we learn coal and gas are
likely producing double the methane they claim.
“While farmers are working hard every day to reduce their emissions, including investigating all
kinds of methane reduction methods, the coal and gas industry isn’t even properly counting
theirs.
“And worse, Australia exports the vast majority of our gas- we’re allowing gas companies to
create this pollution mostly to line their pockets with export dollars, not to power Australian
households.
“Further, coal and gas are not properly decommissioning and remediating their projects. We
need governments to hold polluters to account: We need governments to demand proper
decommissioning and rehabilitation bonds from the fossil fuel industry. There are now 50,000
abandoned mines in Australia- we need these rehabilitated.”
END
Media contact: Les White 0409 805 122 [email protected]
