Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland (EnvA) has called for urgent changes to the Safeguard Mechanism to ensure Australia’s largest fossil fuel polluters make a genuine contribution to reducing emissions.
In its submission to the 2026–27 Safeguard Mechanism Review, EnvA says new and expanding coal and gas facilities should not be able to increase their allowable emissions simply because production increases as new and expanding fossil projects are approved.
“Australia cannot reduce emissions while continuing to give expanding fossil fuel projects more emissions headroom,” EnvA Director Dr Coral Rowston said.
“The emissions consequences of continued coal and gas expansion should not be shifted onto electricity, transport, manufacturing and other sectors that are essential to Australia’s clean energy transition.”
EnvA is calling for stronger baseline decline rates for fossil fuel facilities, strict limits on the use of Australian Carbon Credit Units, greater onsite emissions reductions and improved methane measurement and abatement.
EnvA says the Safeguard Mechanism should be strengthened now rather than relying on other sectors or future technologies to compensate for continued fossil fuel expansion.
“Australia needs genuine emissions reductions, not accounting mechanisms that allow fossil fuel production to continue growing while the burden of decarbonisation is passed elsewhere.”
EnvA - CQ 