A new LNG plant off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia will expose half a million people to unprecedented extreme heat and result in hundreds of additional deaths.

That's according to new research released overnight from leading climate scientists, who say they can now directly link harmful impacts to new investments in coal and gas extraction.

The $16 billion Scarborough Gas Project is expected to produce eight million tonnes of LNG annually from the second half of next year, which operator Woodside says will have a "negligible" climate impact.

* Guest: Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, The Australian National University (ANU) School of Environment and Society

* Producer: Jason Whittaker

Woodside provided ABC Radio National Breakfast with the following statement:

"Climate change is caused by the net global concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It cannot be attributed to any one event, country, industry or activity. As the IPCC's Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report states: 'Human-caused climate change is a consequence of more than a century of net GHG emissions from energy use, land-use and land use change, lifestyle and patterns of consumption, and production. Emissions reductions in CO2 from fossil fuels and industrial processes, due to improvements in energy intensity of GDP and carbon intensity of energy, have been less than emissions increases from rising global activity levels in industry, energy supply, transport, agriculture and buildings'. Other reports from credible third parties support the IPCC's position, including the CSIRO's State of the Climate Report.

"Woodside is committed to playing a role in the energy transition. The Scarborough reservoir contains less than 0.1% carbon dioxide. Combined with processing design efficiencies at the offshore floating production unit and onshore Pluto Train 2, the project is expected to be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered into north Asian markets. Woodside will reduce the Scarborough Energy Project's direct greenhouse gas emissions to as low as reasonably practicable by incorporating energy efficiency measures in design and operations ... A report prepared by consultancy ACIL Allen has found that Woodside's Scarborough Energy Project is expected to generate an estimated A$52.8 billion in taxation and royalty payments, boost GDP by billions of dollars between 2024 and 2056 and employ 3,200 people during peak construction in Western Australia."

New LNG plant could expose thousands to extreme heat, report finds