Australia's High Court has ruled that planning authorities must consider downstream Scope 3 emissions when approving fossil fuel projects. The decision upholds a challenge to the Mount Pleasant coal mine extension in New South Wales and sends the approval back for reassessment. It means the climate impact of exported coal can no longer be ignored in state planning law. The ruling does not stop the mine immediately. MACH Energy can keep operating under existing consent for up to six years. But future coal and gas projects now carry a legal obligation to assess emissions from the end use of their product. That adds a layer of risk to project finance and could reshape how mining expansions are evaluated. The decision also puts pressure on decisions like the recent approval of Hunter Valley Operations, which would mine until 2045. If downstream emissions must be considered, that kind of approval may face legal challenges.
