Green group accuses Glencore of methane blowout

The Australian Conservation Foundation has accused Glencore’s Hail Creek open cut coal mine of being behind a methane 'super-emitting event' last year. The group said satellite evidence showed that in just 16 days, the Bowen Basin mine likely emitted more methane pollution than it reported in a whole year. But Glencore points to doubts over the ability of satellite imagery to accurately identify, quantify or attribute different emission sources, particularly in an area with numerous mining operations and without ground-based or low-level aerial monitoring. "Our Hail Creek open cut mine operates under the Safeguard Mechanism set by the Australian Government and reports emissions in line with the NGER (National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting) emissions reporting methodology," the company said in a statement issued in response to the ACF allegations. The ACF said a total of 61 methane plumes were observed across Australia in 2023 in a review of publicly available data sources showing emissions of methane. Almost all (58) of the plumes occurred in regions with significant coal and gas infrastructure. “Methane is a toxic climate-heating gas that’s turbocharging heatwaves, bushfires and coral bleaching events,” ACF methane campaigner Piper Rollins said. An illustration from the methane emission report. “A methane plume is identifiable when so much methane pollution is released into the air that it can be detected from a satellite more than 800km above the ground in space. “The satellite evidence shows that in just 16 days, Glencore’s Hail Creek coal mine likely emitted more methane pollution than it reports in a whole year – and these are just the emissions we know about because the satellite happened to catch them. “In the first year of the reformed safeguard mechanism’s operation, Glencore will receive several million dollars in climate credits for the Hail Creek coal mine – despite compelling evidence Hail Creek is way more polluting than Glencore says it is." This argument, that Hail Creek will receive safeguard mechanism credits, is incorrect according to Glencore. The Federal Government is reviewing the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS). Ms Rollins said the ACF urged Climate Minister Chris Bowen to make it mandatory for all coal and gas facilities to accurately measure and publicly report their emissions.

Green group accuses Glencore of methane blowout

Industry Queensland

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