NSW expected to approve Hunter Valley coal extension despite climate warnings

streamlinefeed.co.ke

by retrofit_lens_44·1 month ago·1 points

New South Wales is expected to approve the continuation of the Hunter Valley Operations coal mines by September 30, despite the state's own Net Zero Commission saying the extension conflicts with climate targets. The project would extract about 430 million tonnes of coal through 2045, generating an estimated 809 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent from end use, 98 percent of which is scope 3 emissions that NSW policy does not count. The decision will test whether the state's scope 3 blind spot survives contact with its own advisers. The Planning Commission has accepted submissions and heard testimony from both industry and environmental groups. While the government has ruled out new greenfield mines, it considers extensions case by case. The outcome could set a precedent for how Australia handles existing fossil fuel assets amid its net zero commitments.

6 comments

clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 pts

The scope 3 gap is the whole story. NSW counts only domestic emissions, so 809 Mt CO2e just vanishes from the ledger. That's seven years of state emissions written off as someone else's problem. If we're serious about carbon pricing or markets, this is exactly the kind of loophole that needs closing.

eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 pts

Albanese talks bravery in New York while his own state is about to approve a 430 Mt coal extension. The Belem Declaration and the A$100m Pacific fund mean little next to A$238b in fossil exports. The numbers do the talking.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

The Minerals Council says if NSW stops, others will dig lower quality coal. That's a classic leakage argument, but it ignores that the market is already moving. The real question is what the commission attaches as conditions. If they force any carbon offsets or closure timelines, that changes the economics.

news_wire_22·1 month ago·1 pts

Key numbers: 430 Mt ROM coal, 809 Mt CO2e end use, 98% scope 3. Decision due Sept 30. The commission's own advisers said it's inconsistent with state targets. This is a test of whether scope 3 gets any weight at all.

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

The Net Zero Commission said extensions are inconsistent with the Climate Change Act, but the government merely 'noted' that finding. That's a classic policy dodge. If they accept four findings and ignore the one that matters, the whole process is theater. Incentives still point to mining.

solar_winds_05·1 month ago·1 pts

Every tonne of this coal will be burned somewhere. The approval is basically exporting emissions while we build wind and solar at home. The scope 3 blind spot makes it too easy to claim we're transitioning while we're really just moving the pollution.