Joint media release with Minister for Climate Change and Energy the Hon Chris Bowen MP

Australia has joined an international working group to measure and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across international gas supply chains, demonstrating the Albanese Government’s commitment to improve integrity in emissions reduction.

We know that gas remains critical to peaking and firming electricity, especially in an increasingly renewable grid - and providing industrial heat for manufacturing steel, processing critical minerals, and other essential inputs to the energy transformation. 

At the same time, reducing methane, carbon dioxide, and other GHG emissions from gas is crucial to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement - but to do that effectively we need comparable and reliable information.

The international working group on gas supply chain emissions, Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MMRV) brings together major gas producers as well as major importing countries such as Korea and Japan.

The approach will encourage measurement over modelled data where it improves the accuracy and representativeness of the reported data to provide market participants with credible, verified information about emissions from production to delivery. 

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen:

“We are regularly improving greenhouse gas emissions reporting and transparency – this international working group will enhance emissions accounting across the entire supply chain. 

“We are also doing our bit in Australia, with methane measurement referred to the Climate Change Authority for consideration in its review of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King: 

“The Australian Government is committed to lowering emissions and reaching net zero by 2050 to help the world address climate change.

“The international working group will help Australia and the world better understand emissions from the global natural gas supply chain, from pre-production to export and final delivery.

“The work will ensure natural gas producers and exporters, importers, governments, end users and other key stakeholders will have accurate and verifiable information about GHG emissions from the LNG supply chain.”

Members of the MMRV are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the East Mediterranean Gas forum (Observer), European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

A joint statement on the MMRV agreement is available on the Department of Industry, Science and Resources website https://www.industry.gov.au/news/australia-joins-international-working-group-greenhouse-gas-ghg-emissions.