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Emissions

This Month

Australia is considering more new coal mines than any other country, despite climate protests.

Coal demand hits record with Australia bulking up

Australia is over-represented on the world stage as a source of new coal output, the International Energy Agency found.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith

November

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Australia left in limbo after fight to host global COP talks falters

Australia is vying with Turkey to host the annual climate summit, but a discordant meeting in Baku deferred the decision until June – after the federal election.

  • Updated
  • Hans van Leeuwen
Glencore CEO Gary Nagle says there has been an evident shift in thinking around ESG outside of Australia.

NSW idle in pragmatic shift on coal: Glencore CEO

Gary Nagle says the state, where Glencore is struggling to extend the life of a coal mine, has fallen behind the rest of the world in failing to adopt a more “neutral” position on the fossil fuel.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher is under fire over the company’s road map to reach net zero emissions by 2040.

Santos’ own director queried use of ‘clean’ definition: ACCR

Then-director Peter Hearl’s querying of the company’s use of the word “clean” exemplifies how readers of its climate report have been misled, Federal Court hears.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
‘Gift of God’ … Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev extols his country’s natural resources.

Oil and gas are ‘a gift of God’: COP29 leader

The Azerbaijan president’s opening speech was a striking start to the climate summit, already marred by uncertainty and absenteeism.

  • Hans van Leeuwen
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Wind farms in NSW will be subject to rules to minimise visual and noise impact.

Turbines quieter than a fridge: The NSW rules to fix renewables delays

The new guidelines should cut approval times for large new wind farms in NSW that had blown out to almost a decade.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Trump has pledged to increase oil drilling, such as at Oil Search’s Alaskan site.

Pressure on other countries to lead on climate after Trump win

Experts say Trump’s election means countries will need to engage with US businesses and states to ensure the energy transition continues.

  • Hannah Wootton
National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke.

Farmers, builders, economists warn against changing diesel tax credits

A plan by key crossbenchers to overhaul a lucrative fuel tax credit for miners has drawn condemnation from farmers and the WA government.

  • Tom Rabe
Santos’ new carbon capture and storage operation at Moomba in South Australia.

Net zero’s uneasy pact with carbon capture and storage

Santos and Beach Energy’s Moomba project hopes to overturn the technology’s weak reputation. Its detractors say it has already had 20 years to prove them wrong.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
West Australian independent MP Kate Chaney.

Crossbench MPs eye tax credit overhaul on major miners

Teal independent Kate Chaney is working to build support in federal parliament to overhaul a lucrative fuel tax credit system accessed by major mining companies.

  • Tom Rabe

October

Brett Woods at the Moomba carbon capture project in May 2023 when he was still employed by Santos.

Santos’ hydrogen assumptions ‘absurd’, ACCR lawyers suggest

Oil and gas producer’s estimates for hydrogen sales were unreasonable, leaving its net zero target lacking credibility, the Federal Court heard.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Moomba carbon capture and storage project is central to Santos’ plans for emissions reductions. But the ACCR is alleging those targets are misleading.

Santos says activist demands would deter climate targets being set

The oil and gas producer is being sued by environmental groups in the Federal Court who argue its long-term carbon reduction plan is “a series of speculations”.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher has presented the climate strategy to investors.

‘Series of speculations’: Santos climate targets under attack

The Federal Court case brought by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility alleges Santos deceived consumers with its clean energy claims.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
APA chairman Michael Fraser (left) and CEO Adam Watson at the AGM in Sydney on Thursday.

UniSuper won’t back up claims it sold APA on gas worries

Dissatisfaction about APA shares trading near a 10-year low added to the complaints voiced by investors at the fiery AGM, which was dominated by concerns over Beetaloo gas.

  • Angela Macdonald-Smith
Fortescue Metals chief executive Dino Otranto says the Albanese government must review its safeguard mechanism.

Fortescue pushes Canberra for emissions policy review

Fortescue has warned the West Australian government against palming off responsibility for greenhouse emissions to Canberra.

  • Tom Rabe
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Australian Energy Market Operator chief executive Daniel Westerman.

Nuclear too slow to replace coal by 2035

Despite the concerns, some executives and the energy market operator said nuclear should be left on the table as a potential energy source in the long term.

  • John Kehoe and Jenny Wiggins
Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill says WA’s decision to hand responsibility for policing greenhouse emissions to the Commonwealth is “eminently sensible”.

Woodside boss urges states to join WA in ending emissions regulation

State governments should consider leaving the policing of greenhouse emissions to Canberra, Meg O’Neill says.

  • Tom Rabe and Angela Macdonald-Smith
WA Premier Roger Cook argues the state’s gas exports are essential for its trading partners to reduce their emissions.

WA to leave greenhouse gas policing to Canberra

Western Australia will hand responsibility of policing greenhouse gas emissions of major projects to the federal government, using new constitutional legal advice to justify the move.

  • Tom Rabe
A lithium-rich lagoon in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

How this Aussie mining tech company is doing its bit for the planet

ElectraLith is named the 2024 AFR BOSS Most Innovative Company in the Agriculture, Mining, Engineering and Utilities sector.

  • Sally Patten
Looks count: the BYD Yangwang U9 electric vehicle in Shenzhen.

How BYD plans to shake up the Australian EV market

Trade barriers, an oversupply of EVs and flagging growth in China and the rest of the world have driven Chinese automakers to focus on easier markets such as Australia.

  • Jessica Sier

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/emissions-1mpm