The Australian Greens and The Greens (WA) have today issued a joint call for a seismic blasting moratorium in Western Australian and Commonwealth waters.
The call comes as fossil fuel giant Woodside gears up to pressure the state and federal government to allow the company to seismic blast in endangered blue whale habitat and feeding grounds at the pristine Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast -- an activity that contradicts government funding to study the Australian Indigenous songlines to better protect Australia's whales and dolphins, including tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Woodside's seismic blasting plans at Scott Reef were revealed earlier this month in an application by the company to the Federal Environment Department. In the document, the fossil fuel giant divulged its plan to carry out ongoing seismic blasting as part of its application to dump carbon under the seabed at the pristine coral reef, using risky and untested carbon capture and storage (CCS) practices never tried before in Australian waters.
Woodside details the potential risks its planned activities at Scott Reef pose to endangered Blue Whales and four species of endangered and vulnerable sea turtles, acknowledging possible "direct or indirect impacts" from seismic blasting, drilling, subsea fluid discharges, unplanned discharges of hazardous waste or a hydrocarbon (condensate) spill. Woodside concedes that modelling for "underwater noise emissions" from seismic blasting indicated that "fauna injury/mortality is predicted if individuals remain close to the source for a long period of time" which the fossil fuel giant claims is "considered highly unlikely."
The Greens are calling for federal regulators to reject Woodside's application and for a seismic blasting moratorium to be put in place to protect Western Australia's stunning marine environments and endangered marine life.
As stated by Greens WA Fossil Fuel and Marine & Coastal Spokesperson Sophie McNeill:
"Even Woodside acknowledges that its seismic blasting and carbon dumping plans at Scott Reef could harm endangered blue whales and loggerhead turtles.
"It is unfathomable that the federal regulators could approve such activity in this highly sensitive marine environment, home to dozens of endangered, vulnerable and threatened species.
"Western Australia's oceans and our marine life are already suffering horrific consequences as a result of warming temperatures and continued fossil fuel production.
"This month, a severe and deadly marine heatwave in WA's northwest that has seen water temperatures rise above 30°C has been attributed for the deaths of more than 30,000 fish in the Pilbara and has also been blamed for the deaths of 10 melon-headed whales on the Kimberley coast near Broome.
"The WA community have made it clear that they want this government to protect our oceans, endangered marine life and our stunning Kimberley coast from companies like Woodside.
"The time to end seismic blasting and new oil and gas exploration off our WA coast is now."
As stated by Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Australian Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans:
"Last year one of the largest seismic blasting proposals ever in Australian history was withdrawn by its proponent following immense community pressure. It was a siren call to all the fossil fuel companies eyeing off our oceans: your time is up.
"Increasingly West Australians understand their oceans are under siege and are unnecessarily being exploited by reckless and rapacious fossil fuel corporations.
"In 2021 I moved for a Senate inquiry into seismic blasting. This inquiry was the first of its kind, with evidence revealing seismic blasting presents immense risk to coastal communities and marine wildlife. As chair of the inquiry I implore governments to review the evidence, and ban seismic blasting right across Australia's coastlines.
"I've introduced the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Fight for Australia's Coastline) Bill to the Senate. If passed, this legislation would permanently stop some of the most destructive offshore oil and gas exploration in our oceans. We've seen NSW put an end to new oil and gas exploration in their state waters, and in the next parliament I intend to amend and progress the Bill I introduced to set a precedent right across Australia.
"The tide is now turning, and what we need is a brave state and federal government ready to invest in a renewable future. But if you want change, you have to vote for it."
BACKGROUND
- Scott Reef is a globally significant marine ecosystem, home to hundreds of species, including sea snakes, sharks, rays and sawfish. It provides critical habitat to endangered pygmy blue whales and endangered green sea turtles.
- According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), seismic blasting has a devastating effect on marine life and has been connected to temporary and permanent hearing loss, habitat abandonment, mating and feeding disruption and possible death in marine mammals like whales.
- Research has found that seismic blasting also triggers extensive death in plankton, including krill, which are crucial foundations of marine food webs, from more than a kilometre away.
- In 2022, a Federal Senate inquiry into seismic blasting moved by Senator Whish-Wilson heard evidence that the current regulatory framework does not provide sufficient environmental or economic protection from the impacts of seismic blasting and gives too much latitude to a regulator who is perceived to be too close to the petroleum industry.
- Greenland, Spain, Denmark, Costa Rica, France, Belize and Portugal have all implemented bans on new oil and gas exploration, as did the New South Wales State government in 2022.
- The Greens have introduced Federal legislation, Protecting the Spirit of Sea Country Bill 2023 and the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Fight for Australia's Coastline) Bill. Both Greens Bill would stop the most destructive offshore oil and gas exploration in our oceans, including Scott Reef.
- In September 2024, a successful community-led campaign in Victoria saw Norwegian oil and gas exploration company TGS abandon plans to carry out the largest proposed seismic testing survey in Australian history in the Otway Basin.
