Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegen said increasing LNG pollution in WA was driving Australia’s overall increase. “That sector is now producing about 40 per cent of total carbon pollution and rising fast and Woodside’s [Browse and Scarborough] proposals will significantly expand the LNG industry and add further emissions,” he said. “WA is now ground zero for the battle to meet Australia’s Paris targets. There has to be responsibility at a state level; it’s the state that’s the regulator of this sector, not the Commonwealth.” He said the Conservation Council was “seeking urgent clarification from the minister and government” on the mixed messages that had been broadcast over the past week. “We welcomed the comments from the Premier that they were considering a state-based approach – of course we need this,” he said.

“Every Australian state but us has a carbon pollution reduction target. “But we are concerned about the Environment Minister’s subsequent suggestion that there wouldn’t be a target. “A target is the foundation for any credible climate policy and to take a target off the table before consultation even begins on the promised state climate policy sends a very bad message ... it says the government is not serious.” Mr Verstegen said it was “extremely disappointing” that there was little public analysis of potential job generation the renewables industry could provide.

He referenced a CCWA-commissioned report from Reputex which said requiring LNG companies to offset carbon emissions could create 4000 renewables jobs in regional areas. “With a statewide target we could be driving thousands of additional jobs beyond that and placing WA at a competitive advantage globally,” he said. “As it is we will be backsliding in our ability to compete with global markets. “The state government is not even looking at that ... they are hearing from the fossil fuel industry that climate action costs jobs, but they are not doing any analysis of how renewable could drive jobs. We are calling on government to fill the gaps in the debate. “Until then, the industry will get away with their claims that the sky will fall in if we take action on climate change, which is not true – the huge profits of the LNG industry, which are going mostly offshore, would hardly be dented.”

The peak national body representing the oil and gas industry characterised Thursday's report differently, however, saying it underlined the "importance of Australia’s natural gas exports to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions". Loading This "key contribution of Australia’s LNG industry was not always recognised in the broader energy debate", Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association chief executive Andrew McConville said. “The global appetite for energy is growing, with more than 1.1 billion people still lacking access to electricity. Substituting LNG for more emissions-intensive fuels allows importing countries to satisfy growing demand while reducing emissions,” Mr McConville said. “When replacing other fuels, LNG can cut emissions by around 50 per cent. LNG also helps developing countries to reduce air pollution, a major cause of millions of premature deaths.