01 Sep 2019
For some time, international activist groups have targeted industry associations representing extractive industries around the world. Their campaigns place pressure on member companies to quit organisations environmental groups claim are seeking to block action on climate change.
Increasingly, we are seeing this play out in Australia. The so-called Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility has led the campaign here. Recently former NSW Premier Bob Carr joined the chorus. In an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, he recently claimed APPEA was among organisations “seeking to retard progress” on addressing climate change.
This was a clear misrepresentation of the stance of Australia’s oil and gas industry on climate change, carbon policy and emissions reduction. APPEA’s Climate Change Policy Principles clearly sets out our views on what must underpin Australia’s emissions reduction efforts.
APPEA supports a national climate change policy that delivers greenhouse gas emissions reductions, in line with our Paris Agreement targets, at least cost and which facilitates long-term, broad-based investment decisions consistent with an international price on carbon. This approach has underpinned APPEA’s advocacy for nearly 15 years.
To claim, as Mr Carr did, that APPEA is somehow “fighting the very transition that may keep the planet habitable” is patently false and our advocacy and actions show that to be so.
Natural gas has a strong and growing role to play as part of meeting Australia’s and the world’s emissions reduction targets, particularly for our Asian trading partners.
APPEA will continue to advocate for efficient and effective policies to achieve our emissions reduction targets.
It is crucial that we all recognise, understand and promote the key role that the Australian gas industry has in ensuring a cleaner energy future for us all.
Read APPEA’s Climate Change Policy Principles.