The resources minister has endorsed carbon capture despite recent shifts on the idea within her party. 

Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King has expressed support for expanding carbon capture projects in the North Sea, aligning herself with the British government's renewed emphasis on this technology. 

Speaking just days after the Labor Party's national conference downscaled its backing for carbon capture use and storage (CCUS), King emphasised its increasing adoption by global allies, notably the United States and the United Kingdom.

In a speech delivered at the Australian British Chamber of Commerce in Perth, King lauded the commitment of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to carbon capture projects as part of the UK's mission to achieve net-zero emissions. 

She echoed the sentiments of global leaders and organisations, including the International Energy Agency, highlighting the potential role of CCUS in combating climate change.

King underscored the necessity of public education regarding the significance of carbon capture and storage technologies in Australia's fight against climate change. 

The statement came as a counterpoint to Labor's recent decision to dilute support for such initiatives.

At the recent Labor conference, delegates voted to remove any indication of Australian government financial support or subsidies for carbon capture and storage projects, marking a notable departure from the party's previous stance.

Four years ago, the party's platform asserted that CCS “will play” a role in achieving net-zero carbon emissions, but last week's conference replaced this with language suggesting that CCUS “may” play a role, primarily in challenging sectors like cement production.

Labor also eliminated any suggestion of government endorsement for CCUS within heavy manufacturing or gas production, which indicates a potential retreat from supporting the gas industry, despite its growing interest in CCUS integration.

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has shifted his government's focus back towards expanding oil and gas production in the North Sea, emphasising the importance of domestic energy sources with lower carbon footprints. 

This shift is expected to create thousands of jobs and highlights the continued relevance of fossil fuels in some regions.

King also highlighted the United States' extended commitment to CCUS through the Inflation Reduction Act, demonstrating growing international support for this technology.

The Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill 2023, currently under debate in the Senate, aims to regulate Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCSU) in Australia. 

This legislation addresses the need to capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources, store them underground, and explore potential reuse, providing a possible solution for affordable and cleaner energy generation.

King called for a broader perspective on the bill's implications, stressing its potential to benefit the entire Asia-Pacific region. 

Japan, a key regional partner, remains concerned about Australia's increasingly adversarial stance toward gas projects, despite its substantial commitment to reducing CO2 emissions and achieving net-zero targets by 2050. South Korea also sees CCSU technology as crucial to reaching its emissions reduction goals.