Some of Australia’s biggest carbon polluters have a couple of reasons to celebrate this week.
WA’s Labor government passed environmental protection laws that were described by one of its own MPs as an industry “wish list”.
The government also made a big change to its greenhouse gas policy that will have implications for fossil fuel projects.
Basically, it strips WA’s environmental watchdog – the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) – of the power to factor in carbon emissions when deciding whether to give the green tick of approval to some of the state’s most highly polluting projects.
The government says this change will have the same if not a better outcome for the climate.