Conservation Council WA executive director Maggie Wood said the approval of the project’s life extension could undermine state and federal efforts to reach net-zero emissions. “The EPA has said that the North West Shelf facility must be net-zero emissions by 2050, but it is not clear how Woodside will be able to achieve this,” she said.

“If Woodside is not willing to reduce production then they will be relying on offsets.

“Offsetting projects simply doesn’t deliver what we need – a large-scale reduction in the carbon emissions entering the atmosphere.

“This is one of the oldest and least efficient gas processing plants in Australia and Woodside is dangerously close to being given licence to continue to produce highly polluting fossil fuels into the 2070s.”

The watchdog has also recommended oxides of nitrogen, which potentially damages World Heritage nominated rock art that shares the same rocky peninsula as the Karratha Gas Plant, be lowered 40 per cent by the end of 2030.

EPA chairman Professor Matthew Tonts has also increased pressure on the state government to stop considering new projects on the Burrup Peninsula – also known as Murujuga – to protect the sea, land and cultural values of the globally significant site.

The Burrup is home to the world’s largest concentration of ancient rock art with some images believed to be more than 30,000 years old, depicting when Tasmanian tigers still lived on the mainland as well as the arrival of European ships.

The EPA’s report said the government needed to consider establishing a management framework for potential cumulative effects on the sea, country and air of Murujuga.

“When the opportunity arises to review the ministerial conditions of other existing industrial facilities within Murujuga, the review should consider whether the conditions should include additional requirements to reduce the cumulative risk of impacts to rock art from air emissions,” it said.

“The EPA considers that the values of the sea and land environments of Murujuga and its surrounds are unique environmental assets of global significance that require a cautious approach.

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“Future activities and developments should assess compatibility with the protection of values within Murujuga and its surrounds.”

Alternative locations for related industrial infrastructure should be considered for future developments, according to the EPA, like the nearby Maitland Industrial Estate south of the peninsula.

The stance from the EPA follows an earlier set of recommendations for a proposed urea plant at Murujuga which stipulated the proponent, Perdaman, had to prove it was not damaging the rock art.

The International Energy Agency has warned no new coal, oil and gas projects should be started beyond those committed to in 2021 if the planet is to avoid warming of greater than 1.5 degrees.

The EPA’s decision is open for appeal until July 21. WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby will make the final decision on whether the extension can go ahead and under what conditions.

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