A new report by the Climate Council today shows that the push by the Big Polluters for new gas plants and extraction will lock Australia in to decades of dirty and expensive energy.

“Today’s report makes clear what we have always suspected: investing in gas will lock-in mega profits for the big polluters – AGL, Origin and EnergyAustralia – while shackling Australians to a dirty fossil fuel for decades to come,” 350.org Energy spokesperson, Josh Creaser said.

“Australians want clean energy from the wind and sun. We can’t allow the Big Polluters to get away with building decades worth of dirty gas infrastructure that will lock in a fossil fuel dominated energy market. Gas releases methane emissions which are 86 times more potent than CO2 at causing climate change.

“Right now, Australian gas producers aren’t even required to measure how much methane is leaked into the atmosphere, so we have no idea how much gas is escaping and driving climate change.

“Considering the potency of methane as a climate pollutant as well as the possibilities for huge leakages from our ageing gas infrastructure it would be sheer insanity to consider gas as a clean energy option. Gas is not a climate solution: this is merely a fantasy dreamed up by the Big Polluters and politicians captured by the fossil fuel industry.

“It is obvious that the Big Polluters are pushing for gas so they can continue to make huge profits and delay the transition to clean energy as long as possible. Last year, reports showed that AGL and Origin used their gas plants to game the system and reap mega profits at the expense of South Australians, contributing to the significant price spikes an energy crisis.

Media contact: Cambell Klose 0490 436 948