RE: Clues?21 Nov 2021 18:14
NAB arranging funds for Origin Energy despite new climate policy
15 November 2021
Just days after releasing a new “transition-focused” oil and gas policy, it has been revealed that NAB is co-arranging a A$2.4 billion loan for Origin Energy.
Origin Energy is pursuing gas drilling in the Beetaloo Basin, which would emit up to 1.35 billion tonnes of CO2-e over its lifetime according to Reputex (equivalent to 2.7 times Australia’s 2020 greenhouse gas emissions).
“Nothing could better illustrate the utter hollowness of NABs climate policy than arranging funds for a company opening up a colossal new fossil gas basin,” said Jack Bertolus, Australian Campaigns Coordinator, Market Forces. “It’s almost beyond parody.”
“Clearly, the bank isn’t serious about net zero by 2050 and should either take genuine action or publicly withdraw its commitment to the goal.”
NAB cannot ‘directly’ finance greenfield gas extraction in Australia under its new policy unless it argues the gas “plays a role in underpinning national energy security”.
However, the policy allows NAB to continue funding such projects ‘indirectly’ by lending to the companies pursuing them, rather than to the projects themselves.
Analysis from Reputex, released in October, finds lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from Beetaloo Sub-basin projects (including those pursued by Origin) would be up to 1,358 million tonnes, equivalent to 2.7 times Australia’s 2020 greenhouse gas emissions. The report also finds:
“Beetaloo basin gas emissions represent a large source of additional GHG emissions entering the Australian economy at a time when rapid global emission reductions are necessary to limit the effects of global warming. To this end, new oil and gas fields from 2021 have been modelled by the IEA to be inconsistent with a net-zero pathway (IEA 2021b).”