PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government has outlined its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions policy for major projects assessed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

In response to industry and community calls for a state-wide approach to reducing emissions, the state government will work with all sectors of the Western Australian economy towards achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050, Energy Minister Bill Johnston said on Wednesday.

“As a responsible state government, it is important to ensure that projects have certainty for the long term. Protecting and creating jobs is, and will always be, our number one priority.

“Industry and the broader community have been calling for more guidance, and this aspiration provides the certainty needed for future major projects. It is a sensible and balanced policy that will allow industry to harness innovation and create jobs here in Western Australia.”

The state’s GHG emissions policy comes as the EPA is working on its own GHG assessment guideline.

The EPA in March this year withdrew revised guidelines on GHG emissions, which included rules that all new projects that emitted more than 100 000 t/y of carbon dioxide, should offset those emissions, after facing severe backlash from both the industry and the state government.

Industry participants claimed that the revised guidelines would jeopardise billions worth of investment, and thousands of jobs.

“Government will always respect the independence of the EPA. The EPA has historically called for more clarity from government about its policy on greenhouse emissions – this policy provides that clarity going forward,” Johnston said.

The EPA makes independent recommendations on major projects involving GHG emissions to the Minister for the Environment who will have regard to this policy in considering how any approvals for these major projects are conditioned.

The broader Western Australian climate policy is currently being developed and will be released in 2020.