By Abdullahi Lukman
With Australia’s bid to co-host COP31 weeks from decision, Pacific leaders are urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government to reject the proposed extension of the North West Shelf gas project, warning that approval would undermine trust and climate leadership.
The proposal would extend operations of one of Australia’s oldest LNG facilities until 2070, generating over 4 billion tonnes of CO₂—more than 200 times the combined annual emissions of the 14 Pacific Small Island Developing States.
Located in the Murujuga cultural landscape, the site also holds sacred Aboriginal rock art, adding cultural stakes to environmental concerns.
Tuvalu’s Minister for Climate Change, Dr. Maina Talia, called the project incompatible with the Pacific-Australia climate partnership.
“There is no future for our nations if fossil fuel expansion continues,” he said, urging Australia to reject the project to show true climate leadership.
Civil society groups echoed the call, warning that approving the extension would betray Australia’s climate commitments and undermine regional cooperation.
“Every new gas project is a step backwards,” said Auimatagi Joe Moeono-Kolio of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.
Pacific nations have championed initiatives like the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and a Fossil Free Pacific.
They view Australia’s COP31 ambitions as a litmus test of its willingness to move away from fossil fuels.
Rejecting the North-West Shelf Extension, leaders say, would be a defining moment—demonstrating that Australia is serious not just about hosting global climate talks, but about addressing the root cause of the climate crisis: fossil fuel dependence.
