❓ Hon Dr Brad Pettitt asks about WA's actions to meet the Global Methane Pledge. The answer outlines existing national and state initiatives targeting methane emissions from agriculture, gas extraction, and waste.
AnsweredQoN 1781Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the global methane pledge, to which Australia became a signatory on 23 October 2022, that aims to collectively to reduce global methane emissions across all sectors by at least 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030, and I ask, what specific actions and strategies is the Western Australian government undertaking to cut methane and other fugitive emissions across all sectors by at least 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030 in line with the global methane pledge?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
27 February 2024
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
2 days
The Global Methane Pledge is a voluntary framework which aims to support signatories to reduce methane emissions across all sectors.
In Western Australia, key contributors to methane emissions are: agriculture, specifically livestock; natural gas extraction and processing; and disposal of organic waste to landfill.
A number of National and State Government initiatives are in place to reduce methane and other fugitive emissions in Western Australia.
The Safeguard Mechanism is the Australian Government’s primary measure for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with its emissions reduction targets. The Safeguard Mechanism covers more than half of Western Australia’s emissions and imposes enforceable declining baselines on major emitting industrial facilities. Covered facilities are required to reduce emissions by 4.9 per cent on average each year.
The Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) provides for regulation of greenhouse gas emissions for new projects assessed under Part IV of the EP Act that exceed 100,000 tonnes of emissions per annum, including oil and gas facilities. In recent approvals the Minister for Environment has set requirements for substantial and sustained emissions reduction, and achievement of net zero emissions no later than 2050.
The Waste Authority’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 has set targets of 20 per cent reduction in waste generation per capita and 75 per cent waste recovery by 2030.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is a foundation partner in the national Cooperative Research Centre for Net-Zero Emissions in Agriculture.
The Cook Government’s Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategy for Western Australia , released on 13 December 2023, contains several initiatives to address direct and fugitive methane emissions, including:
· working with industry to improve the verification of methane emissions reduction methods from Western Australian grazing and feed systems;
· DPIRD operating a demonstration site for achieving carbon neutrality in agriculture by 2030 at its Katanning Research Station. This involves research on agricultural methane reduction, including in-field measurement of cattle and sheep methane emissions; and
· a review of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 with a focus on climate change and emissions reduction opportunities.
In Western Australia, key contributors to methane emissions are: agriculture, specifically livestock; natural gas extraction and processing; and disposal of organic waste to landfill.
A number of National and State Government initiatives are in place to reduce methane and other fugitive emissions in Western Australia.
The Safeguard Mechanism is the Australian Government’s primary measure for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with its emissions reduction targets. The Safeguard Mechanism covers more than half of Western Australia’s emissions and imposes enforceable declining baselines on major emitting industrial facilities. Covered facilities are required to reduce emissions by 4.9 per cent on average each year.
The Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) provides for regulation of greenhouse gas emissions for new projects assessed under Part IV of the EP Act that exceed 100,000 tonnes of emissions per annum, including oil and gas facilities. In recent approvals the Minister for Environment has set requirements for substantial and sustained emissions reduction, and achievement of net zero emissions no later than 2050.
The Waste Authority’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 has set targets of 20 per cent reduction in waste generation per capita and 75 per cent waste recovery by 2030.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is a foundation partner in the national Cooperative Research Centre for Net-Zero Emissions in Agriculture.
The Cook Government’s Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategy for Western Australia , released on 13 December 2023, contains several initiatives to address direct and fugitive methane emissions, including:
· working with industry to improve the verification of methane emissions reduction methods from Western Australian grazing and feed systems;
· DPIRD operating a demonstration site for achieving carbon neutrality in agriculture by 2030 at its Katanning Research Station. This involves research on agricultural methane reduction, including in-field measurement of cattle and sheep methane emissions; and
· a review of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 with a focus on climate change and emissions reduction opportunities.
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