Chief Scientist Cathy Foley to lead expert methane reporting panel

The Albanese Government is appointing Chief Scientist Cathy Foley AO PSM to lead an expert panel  as part of our broader efforts to ensure the ongoing reporting for methane and other greenhouse gases is accurate and transparent.

Today, the Government has released its response to the recommendations of the 2023 review of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme conducted by the independent Climate Change Authority (CCA). This review had a particular focus on the integrity of methane measurement following a written request by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen last year.

The CCA found the NGER scheme is “performing well and continues to be integral to meeting Australia’s international energy and emissions reporting obligations”, supporting Australia’s net zero transformation and Safeguard Mechanism.

The CCA made 25 recommendations for the NGER scheme, including adjustments to data transparency, coverage, methane emissions measurement, reporting and verification and administration.

The Government has agreed in full or agreed in principle to 24 of the CCA’s NGER Scheme recommendations and noted 1 recommendation.

The Government has agreed to the CCA’s recommendation to establish an expert panel to advise the Government on the potential role atmospheric measurement approaches could play in further enhancing Australia’s fossil methane emissions estimation. The Government has asked Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM to lead this panel. 

The Panel’s work will be informed by a scientific study to be commissioned by the Government to test the capability of a range of atmospheric measurement approaches. The study’s design will draw on the findings from an ongoing integrated atmospheric measurement study commissioned by the government that is testing satellite, plane, vehicle and ground-based approaches in an operational open-cut mine setting.

As part of the 2024 annual improvements to the NGER scheme made in June, the Government has already implemented improvements consistent with the CCA’s recommendations. These include

• introduce market-based reporting arrangements for renewable liquid fuels in the NGER Measurement Determination from 1 July 2024;
• phase out the use of Method 1 for the estimation of fugitive emissions from the extraction of coal from open cut coal mines covered by the Safeguard Mechanism (this captures the vast majority of relevant fugitive emissions);
• introduce an additional Method 2 for the estimation of fugitive emissions from natural gas flaring activities; and
• incentivise on-site abatement through refinements to the existing Method 2 for the estimation of fugitive methane emissions from produced formation water arising from oil and gas sector activities.

To increase transparency, our Safeguard Mechanism reforms mandated the publication of methane emissions for each Safeguard facility and the Government is implementing further requirements for the methods used by coal, oil and gas facilities for each source of fugitive methane emissions to be published alongside that information.

The Government will build on the 2024 improvements to implement the CCA recommendation to review Method 2 for open-cut mines.

Minister Bowen said Dr Foley’s role was a vital part of the Government ensuring the continued integrity of Australia’s emissions reporting, particularly in relation to methane emissions.

“The Climate Change Authority has found Australia’s emissions reporting scheme is performing well and supporting Australia’s net zero transformation delivery,” Minister Bowen said.

“Methane is among the world’s most powerful greenhouse gases. It is essential that our measurement approaches continue to improve, based on sound science and expert analysis, as technologies provide additional opportunities for increased accuracy and integrity consistent with Paris Agreement emission reporting rules.

“By listening to the expert advice we are ensuring Australia remains a world leader in emission estimation, which is crucial to delivering emissions reductions as well as unlocking our potential as a renewable energy superpower.”

The NGER scheme is a national framework for reporting and disseminating company information about greenhouse gas emissions, energy production and consumption.

The full response to the CCA’s review of the NGER scheme is available on the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website at https://www.dcceew.gov.au/about/reporting/obligations/government-respon…