The Guardian - Energy
Australia’s new environmental protection agency approves coal project, angering climate groups 3 September 2026 at 03:23

Australia’s new environmental protection agency approves coal project, angering climate groups

3 September 2026 at 03:23

Queensland open-cut Saraji mine will be able to keep digging until 2055 as Anthony Albanese denies tensions with Pacific leaders over fossil fuels

Australia’s new national agency for environmental protection has approved its first coal project, allowing a Queensland open-cut mine to keep digging until 2055 while clearing threatened woodland and koala habitat.

The confirmation of the extension of the Saraji mine, which digs and exports coal for steel making, comes after the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, denied this week there was tension over Australia’s fossil fuel exports during talks with Pacific leaders.

The Guardian - Energy
The ‘extremely effective’ campaigns undermining support for renewables – podcast 4 August 2026 at 16:00

The ‘extremely effective’ campaigns undermining support for renewables – podcast

The Guardian - Energy

By: Presented by Reged Ahmad with Graham Readfearn. Produced by Taylah Strano with sound design by Lu Hill. The executive producer is Hannah Parkes

4 August 2026 at 16:00

Despite most Australians supporting clean technology, the campaign against wind and solar infrastructure has proven to be effective, striking a chord with many of those living in remote and rural areas. So how do we bring everyone along on the transition to a renewable energy-focused future? And who’s putting up roadblocks?

The Guardian’s environment and climate correspondent Graham Readfearn joins Reged Ahmad to unpack Australia’s relationship with renewables

Karl’s ‘great net zero debate’ was anything but – so beware Coalition claims of renewables taking over ‘two Tasmanias’

The Guardian - Energy
‘Extremely effective’ organised campaigns against wind and solar undermining support for renewable energy 29 July 2026 at 16:00

‘Extremely effective’ organised campaigns against wind and solar undermining support for renewable energy

The Guardian - Energy

By: Graham Readfearn Environment and climate correspondent

29 July 2026 at 16:00

Clean Energy Council calls for a national, legislated scheme to funnel benefits of hosting renewables projects back to local councils

Organised campaigns against wind and solar energy have proved “extremely effective” in undermining community support for renewable energy but enthusiasm for electric vehicles has jumped after Donald Trump’s attack on Iran, according to a detailed snapshot of Australian attitudes to the clean energy transition.

The survey found levels of “deep support” for clean technologies were highest for home batteries and rooftop solar and also improving for major infrastructure projects such as transmission lines, which have been a target for critics of renewables.

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The Guardian - Energy
Mooted WA oil refinery ‘dinosaur technology’ amid clean energy transition, experts say 29 July 2026 at 07:15

Mooted WA oil refinery ‘dinosaur technology’ amid clean energy transition, experts say

The Guardian - Energy

By: Krishani Dhanji and Graham Readfearn

29 July 2026 at 07:15

A feasibility study for the Western Australian project will show the project is uneconomic and requires government subsidies, experts say

Leading Australian climate policy experts say a new oil refinery in Western Australia would be an investment in “dinosaur technology” that would require public subsidy and do little to solve the country’s fuel security.

The Albanese government announced a $4m early-stage feasibility study with the WA government for a new oil refinery in the Pilbara region on Tuesday, but experts said the money would be better spent on green technology to reduce Australia’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Experts told Guardian Australia doing the feasibility study was not a bad idea, but would ultimately show the project would be uneconomic and would require government subsidies.

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The Guardian - Energy
Climate and rock art advocates take on Woodside’s ‘carbon bomb’ WA gas project in federal court 21 July 2026 at 05:18

Climate and rock art advocates take on Woodside’s ‘carbon bomb’ WA gas project in federal court

The Guardian - Energy

By: Graham Readfearn and Donna Lu

21 July 2026 at 05:18

Albanese government’s approval of North West Shelf gas extension being challenged by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of Australian Rock Art

The Albanese government’s decision to approve one of the world’s largest gas projects in Western Australia is being challenged in the federal court, setting up a significant test of how Australia’s environment law deals with the climate crisis.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Friends of Australian Rock Art (Fara) are this week running concurrent court challenges against the approval of the extension of Woodside’s major North West Shelf gas export project.

The Guardian - Energy
Coalition and One Nation’s plan to ditch net zero would not lower power prices, CSIRO report finds 14 July 2026 at 15:01

Coalition and One Nation’s plan to ditch net zero would not lower power prices, CSIRO report finds

The Guardian - Energy

By: Graham Readfearn Environment and climate correspondent

14 July 2026 at 15:01

GenCost report contradicts parties’ claims about abandoning emissions target, and finds nuclear would be most expensive way to generate power

Claims by the Coalition and One Nation that abandoning a net zero climate target would bring down power prices are contradicted in a new CSIRO report on the costs of generating electricity.

Generation costs will probably rise after 2030 regardless of Australia’s policy on net zero, according to the CSIRO’s annual GenCost report, but prices should then stabilise at levels below recent price spikes.

The Guardian - Energy
Gas usage has peaked and is now in structural decline across Australia, report says 31 May 2026 at 16:00

Gas usage has peaked and is now in structural decline across Australia, report says

The Guardian - Energy

By: Graham Readfearn

31 May 2026 at 16:00

Grattan Institute calls on Labor to set policies that will further reduce the use of gas in order to meet net zero targets

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After more than a half a century of growth, the use of gas in Australia has peaked in all sectors and entered a “structural decline”. But use will need to fall fast to meet climate targets, according to new research from an influential thinktank.

The Grattan Institute warned the government had failed to acknowledge the decline and instead needed policies to further reduce gas use and avoid the need for expensive carbon capture technologies to meet net zero targets.

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BHP ‘laughing’ at Australia’s key climate policy while pocketing hundreds of millions in tax breaks, Pocock says

The Guardian - Energy

By: Christopher Knaus · Adam Morton · Dan Jervis-Bardy and Graham Readfearn

26 May 2026 at 05:46

Outrage as leaked documents reveal mining giant’s backsliding on commitments to slash emissions

The independent senator David Pocock says leaked BHP documents show that the mining giant is “laughing” at Australia’s key climate policy while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a generous diesel tax break.

An exclusive investigation based on documents leaked to by the Guardian and the ABC show BHP has scrapped a project to significantly reduce global emissions, delayed vast renewables projects in the Pilbara and war-gamed options to push the electrification of its polluting diesel truck and train fleets into the next two decades.

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