- Santos' Barossa gas project approval fails every test – environmental, cultural, climate
- Risks irreparable harm to marine biodiversity and undermines efforts to protect the climate and oceans
- Australia's climate targets at risk with approval of nation's most carbon-intensive gas development
The approval of Santos' Barossa gas project poses a grave threat to one of Australia's most important marine environments and raises serious concerns about the nation's climate commitments, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said today.
The Barossa Project – now approved in full – is a high risk gas project that will industrialise a region of global biodiversity significance 130km north of the Tiwi Islands, wholly owned by Tiwi Traditional Owners. The gas pipeline will pass within 7km of the islands and traverse the Oceanic Shoals Marine Park, a protected area home to endangered marine species and critical habitats.
"This approval pushes ahead a fossil fuel mega-project through some of Australia's most ecologically important marine areas," said Tooni Mahto, AMCS Campaigns Director. "It risks irreparable harm to marine biodiversity and undermines our efforts to protect the climate and oceans."
The Barossa project will directly impact critical habitat for threatened marine species, including flatback and olive ridley turtles. The Oceanic Shoals Marine Park-known for its vibrant sponge gardens, coral reefs and marine megafauna like whales, dolphins and dugongs-lies directly in the path of the pipeline infrastructure.
"This is not just any patch of ocean-this is a habitat for marine life that cannot be replaced," Ms Mahto said. "Seismic testing, construction and increased industrial activity put immense pressure on these fragile ecosystems.
"Aside from its direct marine impacts, the Barossa project is set to become Australia's most carbon-intensive gas development. With a CO2 content of 18%, it will generate a staggering 380 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over its 25 year lifetime – placing Australia's climate targets at risk.
"The emissions intensity of this project is so extreme, it's been described as an "emissions factory with an LNG by-product." It's hard to imagine a clearer contradiction to our national climate goals.
"It's sickening that this project is approved just as our Great Barrier Reef endures its sixth mass bleaching event in just nine years, and WA's Ningaloo Reef is also suffering widespread bleaching caused directly by marine heatwaves generated by the burning of fossil fuels.
"This project fails every test – environmental, cultural and climate.
"Australia cannot afford to approve fossil fuel projects of this scale if we are serious about ocean protection, respecting First Nations peoples and meeting the Paris Agreement," Ms Mahto said.
