Economic Justice Women's Rights

6 facts that show Australia’s fossil fuel footprint is bigger than you thought

With only years left to limit carbon emissions and keep global warming to 1.5 degrees to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, Australian companies continue to undermine women’s rights by expanding their fossil fuel footprint.

13.12.19

 

Here are 6 facts you might not know about Australia’s expanding fossil fuel footprint:

  1. Australian companies currently have 34 operational and 99 planned, oil and gas extraction projects in lower income countries. Check out our live fossil fuels tracker on the website here. 
  2. These operational and planned projects have the potential to cause more than 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon emissions. That’s a 13% increase from last year;
  3. The projects with the largest potential carbon footprints are overwhelmingly in coal and located in the African region. Nearly two thirds of the total carbon emissions can be attributed to just seven coal projects owned by only three companies in South Africa;
  4. The pollution from mining impacts people’s health. Women in particular suffer from the damaging effects, as they then bear the brunt of caring for sick family members. In the town of Phola in South Africa, blasting from the mining caused air and water pollution, including high levels of dust. This resulted in health problems that included asthma and tuberculosis;
  5. Women have lost access to their farmlands and water because of mining activities. This makes it difficult for them to feed their families, causing them to seek out alternative forms of income;
  6. As women are being made to seek out alternative forms of income, they are exposed to increased gender-based violence and harassment. In the town of Phola, women have reported increased violence and harassment, indicating that jobs can only be accessed through sexual favours. Girls are increasingly dropping out of school and being forced into the sex trade for survival.

 

Fossil fuel extraction is a feminist issue and has disproportionate impacts on women. The time for action is now. If Australian companies keep burning more fossil fuels, we’ll see more extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty, which poses a grave threat to the health and security of people and our planet.

 

Read the full report:

2019 Report: Undermining Women’s Rights – Digging Deeper

 

In 2020, our movement will be scaling up campaigns to meet the demands of the climate crisis, demanding that Australian companies take responsibility for their impacts on our climate and women.

 

Sign the petition calling on Australian mining companies to uphold women’s rights:

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