In a critical new report, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has revealed that methane emissions have risen by 20% in the last two decades, with significant implications for industries reliant on natural gas. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is a major contributor to global warming, and its rising levels are creating challenges for Australia’s gas sector as it faces increased scrutiny and calls for more stringent regulation.
The Global Methane Budget 2024 report, published in collaboration with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, highlights that methane emissions, largely from agriculture, waste management, and fossil fuel production—including natural gas extraction—are contributing to this sharp rise.
Natural gas, which has been promoted as a cleaner alternative to coal, has come under fire due to methane leakage during production and transportation.
“Natural gas” is the marketing term used by the gas industry to greenwash methane. The gas extraction industry began in Australia around twenty years ago under right wing Prime Minister John Howard.
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“Natural gas remains a key part of Australia’s energy mix, but we now know that methane leaks during production are contributing far more to climate change than previously thought,” said Dr. David Etheridge, the lead researcher on the study.
Methane, while less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, has a much greater short-term warming potential, trapping up to 84 times more heat over a 20-year period. The gas industry, which is responsible for a significant portion of these emissions, faces increasing pressure to curb leaks through improved technology and tighter environmental regulations.
The report also emphasizes the role methane plays in pushing global temperature rise, reinforcing the urgent need for the industry to address these emissions as part of broader climate change mitigation efforts. Environmental advocacy groups have long called for the gas industry to take responsibility for methane leakage, arguing that its environmental impacts undermine the benefits of switching to natural gas as a “bridge fuel.”
According to the report, methane emissions in Australia have grown at an average rate of 1% per year, with a particularly sharp increase in recent years. The gas industry is encouraged to implement methane recovery technologies, stricter monitoring, and tighter controls to reduce leaks from extraction sites, pipelines, and storage facilities.
While the gas industry has been making strides in reducing its carbon footprint by transitioning to renewable energy sources and capturing carbon dioxide, methane emissions represent an ongoing challenge. As the energy landscape shifts and international agreements on climate targets become more ambitious, the pressure on natural gas producers to clean up their operations is likely to increase.
“This report is a wake-up call for the gas industry,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Climate Change. “If methane emissions continue to rise, the environmental case for natural gas as a cleaner alternative to coal becomes increasingly difficult to defend.”
The findings come as Australia ramps up its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, where reducing methane emissions will be key to achieving its goals. This latest data provides further evidence that without substantial reductions in methane, the country’s efforts to meet its climate targets may fall short.
The CSIRO report suggests that tackling methane emissions could involve a combination of industry regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation. For the gas industry, the challenge will be balancing the need for energy production with the growing urgency of environmental responsibility.
Industry Response
The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), representing the gas industry, has acknowledged the findings and stated that efforts to reduce methane leakage are underway. “We are committed to working with the government and the scientific community to address methane emissions,” said an APPEA spokesperson.
“Our industry has already made significant investments in monitoring and leak detection technology, and we will continue to improve our environmental performance.”
However, environmental groups argue that these efforts are not enough. The increased methane emissions highlighted by the CSIRO report underscore the need for stronger regulatory frameworks to hold the gas industry accountable for its environmental impact.
As the debate around methane emissions intensifies, the future of the gas industry in Australia will depend not only on its ability to provide affordable energy but also on its capacity to reduce its environmental footprint.
Looking Forward
With methane emissions now firmly in the spotlight, the pressure on the gas industry is likely to grow as Australia seeks to balance its energy needs with climate action. The CSIRO’s report has laid bare the scale of the challenge, with industry leaders and policymakers alike facing tough decisions on how to mitigate this growing threat to the planet’s climate system.
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