Save SA from fossil fuel expansion

The Parliament of South Australia

On May 27 2019 the SA state government announced that "Bidding is now open for five new Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs) in the Cooper Basin in the State’s Far North and three new petroleum exploration licences in the Otway Basin in the State’s Limestone Coast region". Interested companies had until November 29 to apply for these vast petroleum (gas and/or oil) exploration licences. [Click the links above to view maps of the PEL areas.]

We are in a global climate emergency and the October 2018 IPCC Special Report warned that a rapid phase out of fossil fuel use is essential. Climate impacts are already killing people and destroying ecosystems, and inviting new fossil fuel exploration and extraction will lead to yet more climate damage.

The easiest and least disruptive step towards phasing out fossil fuel use is to stop new fossil fuel exploration and extraction before it starts. See our campaign page for more details.

To: The Parliament of South Australia
From: [Your Name]

We are in a global climate emergency and a rapid phase out of fossil fuel use is essential. The easiest and least disruptive step towards phasing out fossil fuel use is to stop new fossil fuel exploration and extraction before it starts.

We therefore call on Parliament to:
- reverse the May 2019 release of oil and gas exploration areas in the Cooper and Otway Basins, and
- ban all fossil fuel exploration and any NEW fossil fuel extraction projects in South Australia

South Australia is well on its way towards net-100% renewable electricity. Any gas we need for backup electricity generation, industry, or household use has already been guaranteed through recent state-subsidised gas projects.

Any new gas extracted in SA will mean more gas exports which provide surprisingly little in royalty revenue, and there are safer ways to generate jobs.

South Australia could cement its position as a climate leader by banning new sources of fossil fuel climate damage and inspire other jurisdictions globally to do the same.