Professors from WA's five universities have delivered a scathing assessment of the state government's track record on climate action, accusing it of being "too close to the LNG industry".
A letter signed by 20 academics, emailed to all WA parliamentarians, says unlike other Australian states, WA's greenhouse gas emissions have increased, largely due to sectors including gas and alumina.
The letter arrived in MP's inboxes on Tuesday this week, the same day the McGowan Government announced that state-owned power provider, Synergy, would close its remaining coal-fired plants by 2029.
By phasing out coal-fired power, Synergy said its carbon emissions would be reduced by 80 per cent by 2030.
But Curtin law school academic Hugh Finn, one of those behind the letter, said closing the coal plants would only bring WA part-way to where it needed to be.
"Their emissions are less than the four alumina refineries that we have in the state and far less than the LNG production facilities that we have in this state," Dr Finn said.
Climate ramifications long-term
The academics, from a range of disciplines, are part of the Beeliar group which was set up to fight plans by the previous state coalition government to build a highway extension through the Beeliar wetlands.
This week's letter calls on parliamentarians to do their job and bring the McGowan Government to account on climate action.
Sustainability professor Dora Marinova said by approving new fossil fuel-based gas projects, like Woodside's Scarborough project, the government was leaving much of the task of cutting emissions to future generations.
"These are decisions that will have long-term implications for my children, my grandchildren," she said.
"We know that there's a strong influence by the industry the way decisions are made.
"That is why we organise ourselves as a group of concerned scientists to actually do the balance against a very powerful industry sector."
'Special access' to government
Dr Finn said gas industry lobbyists and company representatives had "special access" and influence within government and that needed to change.
He cited the Environmental Protection Authority's scrapping of contentious guidelines requiring companies to offset their greenhouse gas emissions as a case in point.
"An example of that is the extraordinary public rebuke to the EPA that occurred in March 2019 in which members of the state government, ministers, the Premier essentially endorsed the views, the strong views of leaders of the LNG industry," he said.
The group is calling for an independent review of the regulations governing industry emissions, which they claim are weak and ineffective.
Environmental scientist Peter Newman, who is also part of the Beeliar group, said they were not trying to stop projects, including Scarborough, but modify them so that the state could align with the Glasgow Climate pact objective of reducing emissions by 45 per cent by 2030.
He said this meant projects needed to decarbonise by moving away from the combustion of gas and coal to run their processes.
"Anything new in oil, gas and coal basically shouldn't happen unless they are able to completely modify their greenhouse gas implications," he said.
"We have to take climate seriously."
Gas industry 'provides jobs'
Mines, Petroleum and Energy Minister Bill Johnston said he had not seen the letter, but WA had a proud history on carbon emissions.
"Just taking Synergy as the example, it's reduced its carbon emissions by 50 per cent since 2005," Mr Johnston said.
"With respect to our LNG export industry, I know that there are some people who don't support our LNG export industry, but it provides thousands of jobs and it is the core of our energy sector here in Western Australia, because of our reservation policy.
"People are calling today for that [reservation policy] to be introduced on the east coast, so demanding that end today is not a sensible approach."
But the Beeliar group says it is not suggesting the closure of the industry, rather that it be modified to use renewable energy for its processes, as opposed to fossil fuels.
Political donations transparency call
They have called for legislation to mandate a 2030 emissions reduction target for the state.
The proposed Climate Integrity Act would also include provisions regulating "large emitter" access to government ministers, ministerial staff and senior public servants.
This would include a statutory requirement to publish ministerial diaries and provide real-time disclosure of corporations' political party donations.
In a statement, a state government spokesman said a process was underway to provide a framework for business and industry to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
He said WA had been the most progressive jurisdiction in Australia in regulating greenhouse gas emissions from major projects to achieve net zero by 2050.
"The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) published its greenhouse gas guidance in 2020, setting out the requirements for major emitters. Now many other jurisdictions are following the EPA's lead," the statement said.
"Since 2020, the state has imposed conditions on some of the biggest emitters, and the State's EPA is now looking at Western Australia's top five emitters."
Woodside forecasts its Scarborough development will release 878 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over its lifetime.
The company aims to reduce emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, with measures including tree planting and better technology.
