Conservation and farming peak bodies call on Qld Government to reject Glencore CCS plan
Media Release
23 November 2023
Queensland Conservation Council has joined with local communities, farming and grazing bodies to oppose Glencore’s proposed Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project near Moonie in Queensland’s Western Downs. QCC made a submission outlining our concerns to the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) when it was open for community consultation, and will continue this opposition after the recent release of the final EIS.
Dave Copeman, Director of Queensland Conservation Council said:
“We are calling on the Queensland Government to reject this proposal, and not approve the proposed amendments to the Environmental Authority. The threat to the Great Artesian Basin and to its environmental values is too great a risk, for too little reward.
“Farmers and environmentalists are united in opposing this project that would degrade our precious water. The Great Artesian Basin is one of the largest underground water systems in the world, and supports significant Indigenous cultural values as well as a range of groundwater dependent ecosystems. Its environmental value is protected under Queensland law. The risks this project poses to the Great Artesian Basin therefore make it unlawful.
“This CCS proposal isn't a real solution to address climate emissions, but instead a PR exercise by Glencore so they don't have to make real changes in their business practices.
“Glencore is one of the largest emitters of climate emissions in Australia, and the coal they mine and export drives further climate harm globally. Instead of changing their business model and transition from mining fossil fuels, they are using this Carbon Capture and Storage trial to buy more time to mine more coal.
“This is a tactic out of the Big Tobacco playbook, to create the perception you are acting on a problem while continuing to profit from a harmful practice.
“Carbon Capture and Storage processes haven't significantly reduced emissions anywhere in the world, and this project wouldn’t either. If successful, it would only inject less than 0.1% of Queensland’s emissions every year into an underground aquifer. Australian CCS projects have been used to justify fossil fuel projects that should have been rejected, such as Chevron’s Gorgon gas field, where CCS has fundamentally failed to meet its commitments.
“In the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, we have a path to decarbonise our electricity generation system with renewable and energy storage. We no longer need this outdated CCS project.
Glencore/CTSco's proposal page is here. The opportunity to contribute to the EIS is finished, and QCC's submission is here.