The expansion of Australia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry over the past eight years has become a cause of significant environmental concerns because the fuel is a key source of greenhouse gas emissions that are dangerously heating the planet, including carbon dioxide and methane.

Santos’s Barossa project and Woodside’s $16.5 billion Scarborough project off Western Australia have been a particular focus for climate advocates who are fighting to prevent the development of new oil and gas production in a bid to avert the worst impacts of global warming.

The Federal Court’s initial shock ruling against Santos in 2022, which found it had failed to adequately consult traditional owners before submitting plans to the regulator, threw the entire offshore oil and gas sector into turmoil as companies were forced to withdraw applications and launch new rounds of talks with affected communities.

Industry leaders at the time decried the system as “broken” and vulnerable to exploitation by activists intent on halting new fossil fuel supplies. Others, however, see the slowdown in approvals following years of uninterrupted growth of Australia’s emissions-intensive LNG industry as a positive, and maintain that oil and gas developments by their very nature come with grave environmental, cultural and economic risks, including for First Nations communities, meaning robust consultation requirements are vital.

In its statement on Wednesday, the EDO said it had an “exemplary record over the past 40 years” in jurisdictions across Australia, and had an important role to play.

“Without the EDO, many of our clients would not have access to justice and would see the places or values they are intent on protecting harmed, in some cases beyond repair,” it said.

The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.