2026-10-01
The Australian Greens are calling on the Albanese Government to rule out federal approval for the Hunter Valley Operations coal mine expansion before COP31.
The NSW Government has approved the project, which would allow approximately 429 million tonnes of coal to be mined through to 2042 and 2045 across the two mine continuations. The NSW Independent Planning Commission has recognised the project could result in 809 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from local mining operations and overseas coal combustion. The project still requires federal environmental approval.
The decision comes just days before the Pacific Pre-COP begins in Fiji and Tuvalu on 5 October. Australia will serve as President of Negotiations for COP31, with the Pre-COP intended to help shape priorities for the November climate negotiations.
Lines attributable to assistant spokesperson for climate and energy, Senator Steph Hodgins-May:
“New South Wales has given the biggest coal expansion ever proposed in the state its tick of approval and now it’s sitting on Albanese and Watt’s desk.
“Labor needs to rule this project out before COP31 if it wants to claw back any shred of credibility on climate that it’s already well and truly lost.
“The Prime Minister can’t walk into the Pacific talking about climate leadership while waving through hundreds of millions of tonnes of new coal.
“Instead of capitulating to the fossil fuel lobby and the wealthy donors who bankroll Labor, the Prime Minister should be listening to the Pacific communities on the frontline of the climate crisis.
“Our Pacific neighbours should not have to watch Australia approve another massive coal expansion while Labor claims to be leading on climate.
"At the last climate summit, Australia signed the Belém Declaration supporting a transition away from fossil fuels, yet we're contemplating walking into the next summit having just approved a massive fossil fuel project.
“Minister Bowen should be using his COP presidency to drive the transition away from fossil fuel, not to lock in decades more pollution from his fossil fuel mates
“Labor is set to fail yet another climate test unless it rejects Hunter Valley coal.”