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https://theconversation.com/expanding-coal-mines-and-reaching-net-zero-tanya-plibersek-seems-to-believe-both-are-possible-241007>
"Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s recent decision to approve
expansion plans for three New South Wales coal mines disappointed many people
concerned with stabilising the global climate.
Two of these mines, Narrabri and Mount Pleasant in New South Wales, featured in
the high-profile but ultimately unsuccessful Living Wonders court case,
intended to force the federal government to take account of climate damage done
by coal mine approvals. A lawyer involved in the case said Plibersek’s decision
showed a refusal to “recognise their climate harms”.
Why did Plibersek sign off on this? She has argued the mines will abide by
domestic industrial emissions rules. As her spokesperson told the
ABC:
The emissions from these projects will be considered by the minister for
climate change and energy under the government’s strong climate laws.
But these laws apply only to emissions produced in Australia, which in this
case will be from extracting and transporting coal and the relatively small
amount of coal burned here. Most of the coal will be exported and burned
overseas. Australian laws do not count those much larger emissions.
The government is effectively washing its hands of the far larger emissions
created when the coal is burned overseas. Since taking office, the Albanese
government has approved seven applications to open or expand coal mines. Just
this week, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said his state would keep exporting
coal into the 2040s.
This reasoning doesn’t stack up. If we stopped expanding coal mines, coal would
get more expensive – and we would accelerate the global shift to clean energy."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
