---
title: Green light to extend life of Woodside's North West Shelf would blow Australia’s emissions budget
description: WA’s environmental regulator has recommended approval of gas giant Woodside’s North West Shelf Project’s operation all the way through to the 2070s, which will blow Australia’s emissions budget and fuel worsening climate change.
---
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au)
[](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy)
The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
# Green light to extend life of Woodside's North West Shelf would blow Australia’s emissions budget
Friday, 1 July 2022
WA’s environmental regulator has recommended approval of gas giant Woodside’s North West Shelf Project’s operation all the way through to the 2070s, which will blow Australia’s emissions budget and fuel worsening climate change.
On that note, scientists are urging that the world must cut emissions at roughly the same rate it did during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to keep climate change within limits we can reasonably adapt to.
And just beneath the water's surface off the Queensland coast, humpback whales can be heard singing clearly to each other, with new research revealing they can learn complex tunes from other regions.
[EPA gives green light to extend life of Woodside's North West Shelf project to 2070](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-30/woodside-north-west-shelf-gas-gets-environmental-nod/101198912)
Head of Greenpeace's clean energy transitions, Jess Panegyres, said the approval was an example of how fossil fuel companies could exploit watered-down environmental policy.
[Climate change targets achievable by keeping global emissions to COVID levels, scientists say](https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-07-01/climate-change-emissions-during-covid-needed-every-year/101192612)
Emissions dropped more during the peak of COVID-19 than at any other time in recorded modern history and scientists say driving down emissions by a similar percentage each year, by transforming to a clean energy economy, could keep warming to around 1.5C.
[Humpback whales' migration along Australia's east coast best time to hear marine animals sing](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-01/humpback-whales-learn-complex-songs-on-migration-east-coast/101197190)
Researchers at the University of Queensland believe whales are capable of learning complex songs from other regions.
[Former Australian chief scientist to head review of carbon credit scheme after whistleblower revelations](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/30/former-australian-chief-scientist-to-head-review-of-carbon-credit-scheme-after-whistleblower-revelations)
The former Australian chief scientist and senior academic, Prof Ian Chubb, has been appointed to head a thorough review of Australia’s carbon credit scheme as experts escalate calls for a complete overhaul of the system.
[EPA fines NSW Forestry more than $500,000 in one month for destroying South Coast habitat](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-30/epa-fines-forestry-half-a-million-dollars-for-destroying-habitat/101196632)
New South Wales' Forestry Corporation (FCNSW) has been fined $230,000 after destroying a bat habitat in the Dampier State Forest near Bodalla on the state's south coast.
[Coal](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/coal), [gas](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/gas), [energy policy](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/energy-policy), [climate change](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/tag/climate-change)
### Will you share with your friends?
[Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/epa-gives-green-light-to-extend-life-of-woodsides-north-west-shelf-in-blow-to-australias-emissions-budget%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [Share on Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Check%20out%20this%20thing%20from%20Greenpeace!%20https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/epa-gives-green-light-to-extend-life-of-woodsides-north-west-shelf-in-blow-to-australias-emissions-budget%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dwhatsapp) [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/epa-gives-green-light-to-extend-life-of-woodsides-north-west-shelf-in-blow-to-australias-emissions-budget%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/epa-gives-green-light-to-extend-life-of-woodsides-north-west-shelf-in-blow-to-australias-emissions-budget%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_term%3Dsocial%2Bshare%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=)
[Go to the website](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
## More news
### [AustralianSuper joins protest vote against Woodside’s climate plans](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/australiansuper-joins-protest-vote-against-woodsides-climate-plans)
Australia’s biggest superannuation fund has joined a protest vote against Woodside Energy’s failure...
### [Greenpeace Australia Pacific files lawsuit against Woodside](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/greenpeace-australia-pacific-files-lawsuit-against-woodside)
Greenpeace Australia Pacific has filed a lawsuit against fossil fuel giant Woodside in the Federal...
### [Woodside is about to start seismic blasting](https://blog.greenpeace.org.au/the-canopy/woodside-is-about-to-start-seismic-blasting)
Greenpeace Australia Pacific has condemned fossil fuel giant Woodside following reports it will...
Work like this is only made possible by our supporters. Greenpeace accepts NO government funding or corporate donations to remain impartial. To amplify meaningful climate activism in Australia, ***become a regular giver today.***
[Donate to Support Greenpeace](https://donate.greenpeace.org.au/)
[](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/)
Connect with us
**Call:** [1800 815 151](tel:1800815151)
Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders — past, present and future — and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia, the environmental movement and the Greenpeace crew.
© Greenpeace 2026. [Privacy Policy.](https://www.greenpeace.org.au/privacy-policy/)