West Australia's environmental watchdog is concerned a major gas plant in the Pilbara does not plan to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions fast enough in the worldwide effort to limit global warming.
The Environmental Protection Authority has aired concerns that Woodside's Pluto Liquid Natural Gas facility on the Burrup Peninsula about 1,500 kilometres north of Perth, is making limited reductions to its proposed emissions between 2030 and 2050.
The regulator also states there is an "urgent" need for an inquiry into putting conditions on the facility that ensure its emissions do not accelerate the weathering of World-Heritage-nominated rock art on the peninsula.
Pluto is one of WA's five biggest carbon-emitting projects, emitting 1.9 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent emissions in 2020–21.
The EPA released a report on Monday highlighting its concerns with how fast Woodside would reduce emissions at Pluto and the five-year targets it set to reach milestones.
"There are likely to be opportunities to seek more substantial reductions this decade," the report said.
"The EPA holds additional concerns for the limited reductions proposed between 2030 and 2050.
"It is important that reduction targets reflect the need to address climate change and the resulting impact on the WA environment."
The International Energy Agency warned in 2021 that there should be no new gas projects, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Woodside's plan for emission reduction
Pluto's environmental approvals from 2007 allowed for a second LNG train to be built that would take its annual emissions up to 4.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Woodside released its own plan two years ago for taking Pluto to net-zero emissions by 2050, stating its gas abatement program would see a 30-per-cent drop in emissions by 2030.
This reduction is from the baseline of 4.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, even though the second train has not been built yet.
A Woodside spokesperson said the company will reduce emissions through the design of the second train.
"Woodside has designed out a portion of future Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from Pluto Train 2 by adopting aero-derivative gas turbines for liquefaction, providing higher thermal efficiency and the lowest GHG emissions of the four alternatives considered," they said.
"This technology is considered to be best practice for LNG developments in Australia."
When both trains are operational from 2026, according to Woodside, 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide will be produced — a reduction of 500,000 tonnes annually from the baseline.
The company says it will reduce its emissions from the baseline 35 per cent by 2035, 40 per cent by 2040, 65 per cent in 2045 and 100 per cent in 2050.
WA's government asked the EPA in 2021 to update environmental conditions on the Woodside project to align it with the company's proposals.
The EPA complied but has strongly hinted the current Environment Minister Reece Whitby should ask the authority to provide advice on the Pluto emissions, after it took similar action for other high-polluting projects.
The revision of emissions targets has coincided with the EPA working on a new Greenhouse Gas Policy that is due to be released this year.
The Woodside spokesperson said the company had developed its existing net-zero plan with the EPA.
"Woodside notes the EPA's draft GHG Emissions Factor Guideline recommending a linear reduction of emissions from 2030 to net zero in 2050," they said.
"Which goes beyond EPA's previous recommendation to the minister to accept the Pluto Greenhouse Gap Abatement Program in 2021."
Concerns for ancient rock art
The EPA report also highlights there is an "urgent need" for an inquiry into potential for the protection of 1 million petroglyphs co-located on the Burrup Peninsula, also known as Murujuga.
A 100,000-hectare area including the peninsula, Dampier Archipelago and underwater areas known as the Murujuga Cultural Landscape was recently submitted for a World Heritage status.
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation was pushing for new conditions to bind Woodside to outcomes of its rock art monitoring program.
The EPA wants an inquiry to make sure that Pluto's emissions are not accelerating the weathering of the rock art so it fades faster than natural rates.
The Woodside spokesperson said it took its responsibility to protect and manage cultural heritage seriously.
"Woodside has committed to revising the Pluto Air Quality Management Plan as required and has proposed to manage potential impacts to rock art on the Burrup Peninsula," they said.
"Research to date on the impacts of emissions on rock art has not been conclusive. Woodside recognises the need for further research and supports the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program."
A state government spokesperson said Mr Whitby has been considering the EPA's report and its recommendations.
Greens MP Brad Pettitt said the EPA clearly wanted Mr Whitby to enable them to put more stringent conditions on Pluto that could see earlier emissions reductions.
"I hope the minister takes seriously the EPA's advice on the need for Pluto to have a more ambitious emissions reduction trajectory and stronger protections of rock art on Murujuga," he said.
"Putting aside that these projects from a climate perspective probably shouldn't be going ahead, if they are going to proceed then much more substantial real emission reductions are possible and should be demanded."
