Australia approves massive Carmichael coal mine, one of the world’s largest
Australia’s government has given mining giant Adani re-approval for the extraction and export of massive amounts of coal from the Carmichael Coal Mine.
In a showcase ruling, a court had temporarily blocked the project due to environmental concerns in August.
The Adani Mining in Queensland has been awarded the project, which is said to be worth A$16 billion (USD12 bn), to dig up and export about 60 million metric tons of coal a year, mostly to India.
Meanwhile, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has cited, “scientific evidence that shows the mine would destroy 10,000 hectares of habitat for endangered species, including the largest known population of the southern black-throated finch.”
“To approve a massive coal mine that would make species extinct, deplete 297 billion litres of precious groundwater and produce 128.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year is grossly irresponsible,” said ACF President Geoff Cousins.
“At a time when the world is desperately seeking cleaner energy options this huge new coal mine will make the effort to combat climate change all the more difficult.”
Most Australians oppose the project. They “do not want Adani to dig a massive coal mine and export the coal across the Great Barrier Reef,” said Cousins.
“We will use all appropriate means to stop this mine,” he added.
The mine is located in the Galilee Basin, Queensland, about 400km west of the Great Barrier Reef.
Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef: The global impact of coal exports from
Australia’s Galilee Basin
“Advanced plans are in place to build nine mega mines in one region of Queensland, Australia. Located in the Galilee Basin, five of these projects would each be larger than any coal mine currently operating in the country. If these go ahead, they could produce more coal than Australia currently exports. If the Galilee Basin were a country, the carbon dioxide produced from using this coal would make it the seventh dirtiest fossil fuel burner on the planet. The Galilee Basin coal boom is not just one of the greatest ever environmental threats to Australia, its climate implications are global,” said Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
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