Bloomberg - Australia has approved a controversial coal expansion project, which had been subject to a court order demanding the government consider its impact on climate change.
Environmental Minister Sussan Ley has given environmental consent to Whitehaven Coal Ltd. to proceed with a plan of $600 million $440 million to expand open-cut mining at its Vickery operation in New South Wales, which will more than double annual extraction to 10 million tons. Approval is subject to conditions relating to the protection of water resources and native species.
On Thursday, Sydney shares gained as much as 5.3% in Whitehaven trading for the week.
A federal court decided in July that the government must assess the potential harmful consequences on young people that would be caused by additional greenhouse gas emissions when deciding whether to approve the project. The case had been brought by campaigners composed of an elderly nun and a group of Greta Thunberg inspired teenagers. A government appeal against the ruling will be heard on Oct. 18.
In approving the mine, Minister Ley turned her back on the International Scientific consensus on Climate Change, and the children and young people of Australia, Izzy Raj-Seppings, one of the student campaigners, said in a statement. Lawyers for the group said they had considered Ley s approval and potential additional legal action.
Also: Australia s Partners call for stronger targets to cut emissions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come under fire from climate groups for his ongoing support of the coal industry that brought in around $40 billion in export revenue in fiscal 2021. He has also been criticised by the U.S. and the UK governments for failing to set a 2050 goal to reach net zero emissions.
Whitehaven said in a statement that approval came after an exhaustive process of stakeholder evaluation and technical consultation at both state and federal levels over five years. The project had received 560 supportive submissions, of which almost two-thirds were public, the company said.