The Australian government recently granted preliminary approval for the North West Shelf Project, the country’s largest fossil fuel venture, to continue operations until 2070. The facility, situated on Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula, is the largest liquefied natural gas plant in the nation. This decision has faced strong opposition from Indigenous activists, climate advocates, and human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch.

The area surrounding the plant, known as Murujuga, holds immense cultural significance for Indigenous groups due to its collection of over one million ancient rock carvings, or petroglyphs. Save Our Songlines, an Indigenous-led campaign group, describes Murujuga as a sacred site, with the petroglyphs holding the importance of holy scriptures.

Concerns Over Rock Art and Pollution

Evidence suggests that air pollution from the North West Shelf Project is already causing damage to the petroglyphs, some of which date back 50,000 years and include the world’s oldest known depictions of human faces. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently declined Australia’s request to include Murujuga’s Cultural Landscape on its World Heritage List, citing concerns about industrial emissions harming the ancient carvings.

“The Australian government should not be putting business interests ahead of Indigenous people’s cultural rights and the rights to a healthy environment.”

Professor Benjamin Smith, a petroglyph expert, has warned that continued pollution could lead to the complete loss of the rock art. He has also accused the state government of misrepresenting evidence regarding the cause of the damage to the petroglyphs.

Climate Crisis Concerns

extending the North West Shelf Project has also raised notable concerns about worsening the global climate crisis. Australia is already a major exporter of fossil fuels. The scientific community has repeatedly stressed the need to phase out fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.Analysis by The Australia Institute indicates that the project’s extension will result in 90 million tonnes of emissions annually, equivalent to the output of 12 Australian coal power stations.

indigenous campaigners have vowed to continue fighting the project. Raelene Cooper, a Mardudhunera woman and Murujuga customary custodian, has launched a federal court legal action to compel the Australian government to protect the rock art.

Critics argue that the Australian government should prioritize Indigenous cultural rights and environmental protection by revoking the extension of the North West Shelf Project.