Woodside gas projects face legal and environmental scrutiny

Mid‑July 2026 the Australian Conservation Foundation secured a renewed government review of Woodside’s Browse Gas Project, prompting the Environment Minister to reopen public consultation on its climate emissions and potential impact on the Great Barrier Reef. A few days later, on 20 July, the Federal Court heard a legal challenge by the ACF and Friends of Australian Rock Art against Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision to grant a 40‑year extension to Woodside’s North West Shelf gas hub, citing projected emissions of roughly four billion tonnes of CO₂ and threats to 40,000‑year‑old Indigenous rock art at Murujuga.

On 27 July, Western Australia designated the Browse‑to‑North West Shelf development as a State Significant Project, accelerating inter‑governmental coordination and highlighting the project’s estimated contribution of A$141 billion to GDP and thousands of jobs. Greenpeace Australia Pacific warned that the plan includes drilling near Scott Reef, a pristine ecosystem, and could release up to 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon, posing risks to marine life and climate goals. Protesters continued to demonstrate outside the Melbourne court, emphasizing marine and cultural heritage concerns. The outcomes of the court case and the state‑level approval are expected to shape future fossil‑fuel licensing in Australia.