1.3 billion tonnes of coal mine approvals suicidal for the climate

MEDIA RELEASE - 2 February 2015

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today said the flurry of coal mine approvals in NSW was negligent and represented a suicidal attitude to climate change, and that the planning system needed to reform to account for the cumulative impact of the emissions from when NSW coal was burnt.

Since September 2014, the NSW Government has approved 1.366 billion tonnes of coal mining.

  • Rio Tinto Bengalla – 360 million tonnes
  • YanCoal Moolarben - 384 million tonnes
  • Glencore Mt Owen – 92 million tonnes
  • BHP Mt Arthur – 128 million tonnes
  • Shenhua Watermark – 268 million tonnes
  • Glencore Bulga – 134 million tonnes

“The flurry of coal mine approvals is negligent and represents a suicidal approach to climate change and the local environment,” said Greens mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham.

“Approving 1.3 billion of tonnes of new coal mining is globally significant and undermines efforts to avoid dangerous climate change.

“The government has the facts about climate change yet continues to make negligent decisions.  It knows that coal is the number one cause of climate change, yet it continues to approve massive amounts of new coal mining.

“The current government has driven NSW off a climate change cliff.  It is the wrong way, we must go back, or face climate chaos,” he said.

It is disturbing that the flurry of mining approvals has occurred since Premier Mike Baird appeared at NSW Mining dinner and committed to fast-track coal mining approvals.  At the dinner Mr Baird said: “I am tonight drawing a line in the sand on this. NSW must do better and I assure you we will” and Planning Minister Pru Goward then provided ‘directions’ to the Planning Assessment Commission.

Contact: Max Phillips – 9230 2202 or 0419 444 916

 

3 comments

  • Just remember when you come at night, turn on the ,make a cup of coffee and watch tv or use any other electrical appliance where ii it produced from! Until you or any other no brain genius can come up with a better cheaper idea can it.

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  • Ted Harvey - when I turn on the light etc. (who drinks coffee at night?) I know it was produced from renewable sources because I buy 100% renewable. And if I stumped up the cash for batteries, my power at night would come from the solar power generated on my own roof during the day. Give it a few years for battery prices to come down (as solar panel prices have done) and that’s exactly what I (and millions of other people) will be doing.
    Did that answer your question?

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