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Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Australia has a pavillion at COP26 and it appears to be a Santos gas and CCS promotion

Photo courtesy Jo Dodds, Bushfire survivors for Climate Action

 I have attended four UN Climate Change conferences and Australia has never had a country pavillion. But at COP26 Australia is there with some big screens, a coffee machine and signs from Santos, one of Australia's biggest gas exploration and production companies.

Jo Dodds is there in Glasgow for Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action at COP and provided this short video of the Australian pavillion



"Spruiking the colossal failure of CCS which Taylor has fastracked to earn Aussie carbon credits paid for by taxpayers"



Oil and gas giant Santos will proceed with a $220 million carbon capture and storage project in South Australia’s north. It is the first project of its type registered under the Emissions Reduction Fund. The carbon to be stored represents about 7% of SA’s emissions and will cut emissions from gas production at Moomba by 70%. 

Yet Australia won't sign the Global Methane Pledge.



The $220 million project would receive about $720 million in carbon credits over its life. “Two-thirds of billion dollars of taxpayer cash subsidies will make this yet another handout,” Mr Tim Buckley, an Energy analyst from IEEFA said. “Any pretence the fossil fuel industry is able to stand on its own two feet is clearly absent.”

Here is Angus Taylor speaking  at that media event with Kevin Gallagher of Santos at the Australian Pavillion.



Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was outside the Australia pavillion at COP26. He was asked if Australia should be part of the Global Methane Pledge: 

"It's a pity, we should be. We have got to cut all greenhouse gas emissions, methane and carbon dioxide. "

"We can't keep on pretending this is a problem we can push out into the future. We are living with the reality of global warming now. We have got to stop burning coal and gas. We have got to reduce methane emissions. This is a crisis." 

"Australia right here at this COP, its position is very disappointing."

"Look at the Australia stand. You have a gas company highlighted, apparently at the insistence of the Energy Minister who thinks that our Energy policy should be all about burning gas. I mean, it's a joke!."

Journalist: A spokeperson for Angus Taylor said the four Australian companies that were participating in Australia's showcase were involved in emerging technologies and practical action on climate change. In Glasgow this is Steve Kinane reporting for AM.


Just to make clear, Santos is not an official sponsor of the Australia Pavillion, they are just a sponsor of the Australian Government. Just a minor but important point to clarify.


And that's a wrap from the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor. He has made his business conections, tried to ignore Australian civil society. He's off home to Australia instead of taking a Ministerial role in the negotiations. Probably better he is not there. I have more confidence in the diplomatic staff than the minister

Santos CCS display wheeled away at end of 1st week


This was Australia's first pavillion at a COP as far back as anyone can remember. About the only good thing Australia provided to COP was some excellent Espresso coffee. The following article on Coffee at the Aussie Pavillion was published in ECO News, 12 November, published by the Climate Action Network

Coffee At The Aussie Pavilion

NOVEMBER 12, 2021

With Emissions Reductions Minister Taylor back in Australia, the role of Head of Delegation was passed onto the coffee machine in the Australian Pavilion.

Australia has shown very high ambition with its coffee game at this COP, receiving net zero complaints from the hundreds of caffeine hungry delegates stopping by the Pavilion for their daily hit. However, not all have been impressed by this new tactic of coffee diplomacy.

“Clearly the Government hopes that the quality and volume of free coffee being dispensed will distract from Australia’s woeful lack of action on climate change,” said Skippy the Kangaroo.

“We set a national target for our coffee queue to be longer than the queue to enter COP26 at 8am, and I think we achieved that ambition without loss or damage,” said an Australian Government diplomat.

Speaking earlier, the coffee machine was also able to provide some insight into the details of the Government’s new climate finance pledge, confirming that Australia plans to count the millions of dollars in free coffee towards fulfilment of its contribution to the $100bn goal. The machine is yet to be informed of the escalating impacts of climate change upon coffee production.

A spokesperson for Minister Taylor said that Australia was proud it was meeting and beating its coffee target for this COP and has been dispensing coffee at a faster rate than any other country. “It’s great Aussie tech, on display here in Glasgow, making sure we’re caffeinating Australians but also fuelling the developing world to get the job done too.” Asked what kind of coffee he likes to drink himself, the Minister said that he wasn’t actually a fan and that he and the delegation preferred to drink the Kool-Aid.

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