Methane

Email action to Minister Bowen calling on him to fix Australia's methane measurement rules

Email action to Minister Bowen calling on him to fix Australia's methane measurement rules

Email to demand a methane target and plan

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Subject:

It’s been a good first step from the Australian Government, committing an expert panel to review the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERs) in an effort to improve Australia’s methane measurement.

I am writing to you to outline the critical next step, and important opportunity to join global momentum and leadership; commit to a methane target and action plan.

Australia has a methane problem. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, heating the atmosphere 80 times more intensely over a 20 year period than carbon dioxide. Despite Australia signing the global methane pledge over 2 years ago, we have no plan to reduce potent methane pollution, which makes up a third of our total domestic emissions.

World-leading experts from the Superpower Institute have built a groundbreaking satellite monitoring tool, Open Methane. It shows that coal and gas companies are likely emitting double what they report - and that the coal and gas industry is likely pumping out more methane than the agriculture industry in Australia. Coal and gas companies are undermining Australia’s efforts to cut climate pollution and need to be urgently reined in.

The Australian government should not approve any more coal and gas projects while methane emissions appear to be so out of control. I urge you to do everything you can to commit Australia to setting a methane target in Australia’s next Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and to establishing a National Methane Action plan to drive down emissions this decade, including through the Resources Sectoral Decarbonisation Plan.

I am concerned that Australia is falling behind international counterparts that are taking the opportunity to address the low hanging fruit in climate action; cutting methane pollution from coal and gas mining.

Our international counterparts Japan, US, Canada, China and New Zealand are just a handful of over 35 nations that have committed to methane targets or methane action plans as part of updating their Nationally Determined Contribution. Global momentum to curb methane continues to grow, with the US Department of State reporting that over 50 countries have or are in the process of developing Methane Action Plans.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) outlines that OECD countries like Australia should reduce coal and gas methane by 75% by 2030 - a target that is both economically feasible and in alignment with our commitment to the Paris Agreement climate goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The secretariat of the Global Methane Pledge, the United Nations Climate and Clean Air Coalition, has made it clear that countries should set methane targets and plans covering the fossil fuel, agriculture and waste sectors in their next NDC.

Cleaning up methane in the coal and gas sectors will help alleviate pressure on hard to abate sectors like heavy industry and agriculture and contribute huge emission cuts to help reach Australia’s climate targets. Forming a fossil methane reduction pathway could become a key diplomatic opportunity for Australia to lead on emissions reductions in a prospective COP31 presidency.

This opportunity is supported by the Australian public, recent polling by the Global Methane Hub found that 80% of Australians surveyed support action on methane and 74% support a Methane Action Plan.

Australia’s methane emissions are a significant proportion of our total emissions and an equally significant opportunity for impactful leadership this decade to slow the rate of global heating. By tackling methane, Australia can play a vital part in realising a 0.6C reduction in global temperatures to 2050.  I implore you to push for a methane target and action plan - the fastest and cheapest way to cut Australia’s domestic emissions.

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