Amid the spinifex on a remote WA island looms Chevron’s troubled carbon capture facility. The role the technology might play in cutting greenhouse gas emissions is likely to get a fresh airing at global climate talks in Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n
Climate advocates and the Greens have long pushed for renewable energy targets, which most jurisdictions already have, but the other two proposed targets are contentious.<\/p>\n
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves capturing greenhouse gas emissions and pumping them underground. WA is home to the world’s largest such project, run by gas giant Chevron, which has been plagued with issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n Green export targets are an even more novel idea. If legislated, WA would become the first state in the world to do so.<\/p>\n Under the revised bill, the WA government would set targets for the volume of “green” commodities exported for international markets, such as steel and alumina made with renewable energy.<\/p>\n Climate scientist Bill Hare said it was ambiguous just how “green” those commodities would be.<\/p>\n Swedish company SSAB is credited with making the world’s first fossil-free steel and delivering it to a customer. (Supplied: SSAB)<\/p>\n “The most recent one is clean steel in Kwinana, but actually, that’s basically gas. It’s not clean,” he said.<\/p>\n The government’s approach to green exports is informed by professor Frank Jotzo, a climate and energy economist advocating for Australia to become a “renewable energy superpower”<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to the internal documents, Professor Jotzo advised that establishing green export industries would improve the state’s economic resilience.<\/p>\n But he also said further work was needed to understand how feasible green export targets would be, and how to effectively implement them.<\/p>\n Targets will also be set for how much carbon dioxide is captured via CCS, and how much renewable energy is generated across the state.<\/p>\n The “emissions reduction strategy” outlined in the 2023 version of the bill will be replaced with a “decarbonisation and jobs plan”.<\/p>\n Emissions reduction critical<\/p>\n Dr Hare, the chief executive of climate science and policy institute Climate Analytics, said without emissions targets it would be difficult to track the effectiveness of any other proposed measures.<\/p>\n “If you can’t get emissions down, then you’re not dealing with climate change,” he said.<\/p>\n Climate scientist Bill Hare says tracking emissions is vital. (ABC News: Rhiannon Shine)<\/p>\n “It’s the only thing that really matters.”<\/p>\n Dr Hare said interim targets were especially critical to track progress towards net-zero.<\/p>\n “In general, governments that just talk about 2050, but not much in between, are not doing much at all,” he said.<\/p>\n “There needs to be accountability on at least a five-year time frame, so that politicians are held accountable.”<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the regulatory environment had changed since the original bill, with emissions targets, was introduced in 2023.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson says the regulatory environment has changed. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)<\/p>\n “The way greenhouse gas emissions from industry in WA are regulated has changed, with the Commonwealth government taking the lead through the strengthened safeguard mechanism,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n “We are focused on ensuring that our approach aligns with the most effective measures available to drive down emissions and support our transition to a decarbonised economy.”<\/p>\n The state government said its record on the environment spoke for itself.<\/p>\n “The Cook Labor government has done more than any other government in WA’s history to protect and restore the state’s environment,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n “Between ending native logging, getting out of [state-owned] coal by 2030, and undertaking Western Australia’s biggest-ever expansion of the conservation estate.”<\/p>\n Renewable energy focus<\/p>\n WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill said the changes showed the state government’s priorities lay more with protecting industry than climate.<\/p>\n WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill was scathing of the government’s decision. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)<\/p>\n “The Cook Labor government is trying to distract us with untried and untested fads like CCS and green exports targets,” she said.<\/p>\n “This is a desperate attempt to make it look like they are doing something, when in reality they are walking away from the most urgent part of climate action, which is genuine emissions reduction.”<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/c3978fcb7eba635f874b4a0700c9f56f.jpeg\")
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