Dear Inga ,

This is not supposed to be happening.

“Vast amounts of methane appear to be leaking undetected from Australia’s biggest coal seam gas field, according to world-first research that undercuts claims by the gas industry.” ¹

That’s how The Sydney Morning Herald described research getting nationwide media attention — after two Australian researchers uncovered methane, carbon dioxide and other gases leaking up from the ground in a CSG field in southeast Queensland.

Scientists found methane levels were more than three times higher inside the gas field than expected. It’s some of the highest concentrations of methane in the air found, anywhere, scientists told ABC’s 7:30 Report. Methane is a much more serious gas than carbon dioxide: 21 times more powerful for warming the planet. It thoroughly debunks the gas industry’s claims that CSG produces 70% less emissions than coal!

This research makes it really clear: CSG is far more dangerous than governments have reckoned on. Currently, the gas industry is getting away with pollution that isn’t even accounted for. Let’s call on Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet to commission urgent research into the climate impacts of coal seam gas, and to make sure that CSG companies start accounting, and paying, for their pollution. Please write to him today.

Right now our government isn’t independently measuring these so-called “fugitive emissions”, or making the industry properly pay for them under the carbon price. If they did, it would change everything.

University of Melbourne’s Professor Peter Rayner estimates that leaking methane from just one area in this one gas field could incur a liability of $10 million a year or more. Multiply that by even a fraction of the tens of thousands of gas wells expanding across QLD and into NSW, and you’ve got a climate bill worth billions. Suddenly coal seam gas is looking less like a vital ‘transition fuel’ — and more like a dirty fossil fuel we can’t afford to keep.

This research couldn’t be more important, or timely. A recent energy white paper has forecast a massive expansion of Australian coal seam gas drilling, and called for environmental objections to be removed to make large-scale gas extraction easier. ²

We’ve seen the CSG industry shrug off bad news stories before, but this scandal threatens its very existence. It’s time the federal government did its due diligence on an industry that’s still expanding at a breakneck pace — posing a threat to our agriculture, our health and our climate. Send a vital message to Minister Combet today:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/leaks/dirtier-than-coal

Keep up the good work,
the GetUp team

PS: For years the CSG industry has been telling us that so-called ‘fugitive emissions’ from fracking are negligible. The tagline of a recent pro-CSG ad in Queensland reads, “It’s cleaner. It’s safer. It’s jobs. It’s the future.” Now the question is, will coal seam gas even make sense if we factor in the cost of its real emissions? It’s time to find out: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/leaks/dirtier-than-coal

[1] “Methane leaking from coal seam gas field, testing shows,” The Syney Morning Herald, Nov 14, 2012.
[2] ibid

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you’d like to contribute to help fund GetUp’s work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.