QLD Land Court Recommends Refusal Of Thermal Coal Mine On Climate Change And Human Rights Grounds

The Queensland Land Court has recommended that the mining lease and environmental authority for the Waratah Mine be refused, amongst other reasons because of climate change impacts (including scope 3 emissions) and human rights impacts

Snapshot

The Land Court recommended that both the mining lease and the environmental authority be refused on three key grounds:

1. The uncertain but likely impact on the Brimblebox Nature Refuge;
2. Climate change impacts (including 'scope 3' emissions); and
3. Human rights impacts.

The Proposed Galilee Basin Coal Mine

Waratah Coal Pty Ltd applied for a mining lease (ML) and an environmental authority (EA) to allow it to mine thermal coal in Queensland's Galilee Basin.