Climate campaigners have challenged the Albanian government’s assertion that no new coal mines have been approved for 2024, saying the coal mine approved in Queensland this week is a new development.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved four coal mine projects on Thursday, saying they were expansions of existing coal mines that mine coal to make steel.
“Labour approves 0 new coal mines in 2024,” the minister wrote on social media.
But the comments have angered climate campaigners, who say Vitrinite, the company behind Queensland’s Vulcan South mine – one of four projects approved – has itself described the project as separate from neighboring mines.
Vitrinite’s environmental report on the project, released in October, said its Vulcan South mine and the existing Vulcan mine are “approximately 10 kilometers apart” and are “independent projects.”
Vitrinite said in the report that Vulcan South, which is planned to operate until 2033, is a “greenfield development” and “is not part of a staged development or part of a larger project”.
The company said its plans would result in the loss of 1,166 hectares of koala habitat and would impact habitats of giant gliders, squatting pigeons and threatened ecosystems dominated by knotweed trees.
Claire Gronow, coordinator of the campaign group Lock the Gate, said: “Vitrinite said it was a new mine. When we saw these social media posts we were disgusted. We were stunned. .
“It’s hard to agree that no new coal mines will be approved,” said Jenny Brown, climate campaigner at Conservation Council Queensland.
Plibersek sought to downplay the decision to approve the four coal mines, saying they were expansions and the coal would be used to make steel and that “there are currently no viable renewable alternatives to making steel.”
On Friday, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen also said the projects were part of “existing mines”.
A spokesman for the minister said: “Independent scientific experts and the minister’s department have [Vulcan South] project as an extension.
The climate group estimates the four approved coal projects will release more than 880 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over their lifetime, nearly twice Australia’s annual emissions, much of it when coal is burned overseas.
Activists say the expansion of three coal mines approved in September will release about 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide.
Brown claimed the government was trying to “greenwash” its decision.
“Climate change doesn’t care about technical details or whether it’s an expansion or a new mine – they have the same impact on the country, the environment and our wildlife,” she said.
Professor Leslie Hughes, a member of the climate committee, said: “Our atmosphere doesn’t care whether the coal is used for steel or electricity – it is both heating our planet and exacerbating climate pollution. Burning coal is exacerbating the climate crisis and exacerbating bushfires , floods and heat waves, devastating our communities, this decision goes against science, common sense, global responsibility and our responsibility to protect our children’s future.
Rising Tide climate campaigner Zach Schofield was filmed spray-painting the word “liar” on the glass front of Plibersek electorate office in Redfern, Sydney, on Friday.
Schofield said he would hand himself in to police and said his actions were a response to the coal mine’s approval.
Plibersek said one of her employees was inside when the office was sprayed with water.
She said: “Australia is a great democracy. It’s great that we are free to disagree with the government and with each other. But the way we disagree is important. It should be peaceful, respectful and Legal.
“This type of vandalism and intimidation is completely unacceptable. We have a responsibility to speak out wherever it happens.
“My hard-working staff have been making statements to police throughout the morning, rather than doing their usual business of assisting local residents with issues such as Medicare, Centrelink and disability matters.”