All new large projects in WA face having to pay to offset their carbon emissions after WA’s environmental watchdog today responded to what it sees as a failure of the Federal Government to ensure Australia meets its international climate change obligations.

The Environmental Protection Authority will recommend that new projects emitting more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year have to pay to offset those emissions, such as by planting trees or buying carbon credits.

EPA chairman Tom Hatton said the authority was raising the bar on its emissions advice, which is not binding on the State Government.

“How the State Government receives that advice is beyond my reach, but that is the position the EPA board is taking through these revised guidelines,” he said.

He said that the EPA could only take the environment into account, not social or economic factors.

WA’s carbon emissions have increased 27 per cent between 2000 and 2016, according to the EPA.

Woodside will be affected by the new approach because two new LNG projects, Browse and Scarborough, are under review by the EPA.

Dr Hatton said emissions in Commonwealth waters, where Browse and Scarborough’s offshore facilities will be located, would not be covered by the EPA’s advice. Onshore processing would be subject to the guidelines.

He said the EPA would “absolutely” consider the argument that an LNG project could reduce emissions in another country where its product is burnt instead of coal.

Dr Hatton said if a Federal government changed its approach to climate change and the EPA felt Australia would meet its international obligations, then the guideline would be reviewed and requirements of companies could be reduced.