“We are outraged that Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has Just approved three new thermal coal mine projects, when we have a climate emergency.” says Climate Action Merribek Convenor John Englart.

“This undermines all the incremental positive work the Labor Government has done in the last two and a half years. It undermines our trust in our Labor MP Peter Khalil and the Labor Government.”

Here is our Open Letter to our Federal MP Peter Khalil which we delivered to his office on Wednesday 25 September at Noon.

Members of the Wills Climate and Environment Advisory Group which Peter Khalil established in June 2023, also resigned on mass today dumping Peter Khalil, with the coal mine approval a final bridge to far.

Over 50 people gathered outside Peter Khalil’s office for speeches, and to hand in to his office the Open Letter below, and resignation letters from the Advisory Group.

Rising Tide activists in Newcastle blocked a coal train going to Newcastle coal Port in the morning according to ABC News report.

About 50 people joined a community protest outside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office in Gadigal Country/Sydney and then dumped a bag of coal outside Plibersek’s office reported Greenleft.

Other Protests in Naarm/Melbourne, included at the electorate office of Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga MP) and Josh Burns (McNamara MP). Around 30 people occupied the office of Graham Perrett (Moreton MP) in Magan-djin/Brisbane according to Greenleft.

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Open Letter: Outrage at approval of Three thermal coal projects

To Peter Khalil MP

I’m contacting you on behalf of Climate Action Merri-bek and other Wills constituents to express our shock and outrage at a decision of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to approve 3 thermal coal projects, under the EPBC Act.(1)

The three new thermal coal projects are Ravensworth Underground, Narrabri Underground Stage 3 Extension, and Mount Pleasant Open Cut extension.

It is estimated that these three new thermal coal projects will lock in about 1.5 billion tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. This is more than three times Australia’s total annual emissions. The mines have approval to operate until 2058, 2064 and 2066, well past the net zero 2050 target which Labor and the Opposition have a commitment to meeting.

The Narrabri Underground coal expansion approval extends to 2066 and will clear 457 hectares of habitat for the endangered koala in the Pilliga Forest. It will also undermine a key recharge zone of the Great Artesian Basin and permanently drain farm water bores.

The Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project is a huge expansion of an open cut mine on the doorstep of the Hunter Valley town of Muswellbrook. It will clear the habitat of a legless lizard listed as endangered earlier this year. A species only found in the Upper Hunter Valley.

What really hurts is the disrespect this shows for Gomeroi traditional owners. 

Gomeroi Traditional Owner Karra Kinchella, whose country includes the Pilliga Forest, said, “Tanya Plibersek’s decision to approve Whitehaven’s destructive Narrabri coal mine expansion is an insult to us and our ancestors. 

“The world was shocked and saddened when Notre-Dame went up in flames. Well Tanya Plibersek has just given Whitehaven permission to put the blowtorch to our church.”

Peter, You signed a climate emergency declaration in December 2016.(2) 

At COP28 in November 2023 all countries, including Australia, agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.(3) The Summit for the future just concluded in New York also endorsed the COP28 statement to start phasing out fossil fuels.(4)

Last week, on the 16th September, Prime Minister Albanese rejected the need for a climate Trigger in National Environment Laws, despite proposing a climate trigger to parliament in 2005.(5) 

The science is clear that we cannot afford ANY new coal or gas project.(6) The fact that these three projects are all thermal coal projects, when coal needs to be rapidly phased out makes the decision all the more shocking and outrageous to regular citizens.

We no longer have trust that the Labor Government you are a member of, can deliver the ambitious climate action in the necessary phasing out of fossil fuels to protect us and our children from a world already passing dangerous planetary boundaries. 

We are about to pass the seventh planetary boundary of the nine planetary boundaries assessed,  into a dangerous future.(7)

John Englart
Convenor Climate Action Merribek Inc

Notes:

1. Guardian, 24 September 2024, Tanya Plibersek approves three coalmine expansions in move criticised as ‘the opposite of climate action’ https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/24/tanya-plibersek-approves-three-coal-mine-expansions-in-move-criticised-as-the-opposite-of-climate-action
2. See Photo December 2016, Climate Action Merribek https://climateactionmerribek.org/2016/12/23/wills-mp-peter-khalil-endorses-climate-emergency-declaration/
3. UN, 13 December 2023, https://unsdg.un.org/latest/stories/cop28-ends-call-%E2%80%98transition-away%E2%80%99-fossil-fuels-un-chief-says-phaseout-inevitable
4. UN News, World leaders adopt pivotal UN Pact for the Future, https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154581
5. Renew Economy, 16 September 2024, https://reneweconomy.com.au/bulldozer-albanese-slammed-after-bowing-to-mining-lobby-and-refusing-climate-trigger/
   
6. The Guardian, 21 March 2023, The latest IPCC report makes it clear no new fossil fuel projects can be opened. That includes us, Australia https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/21/the-latest-ipcc-report-makes-it-clear-no-new-fossil-fuel-projects-can-be-opened-that-includes-us-australia
7. Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, 24 September 2024, Earth exceeds safe limits: First Planetary Health Check issues red alert https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/earth-exceed-safe-limits-first-planetary-health-check-issues-red-alert

Prime Minister Rejects Climate Trigger

Last week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected the need for a climate Trigger in National Environment Laws, despite proposing a climate trigger to parliament in 2005.

“I don’t support adding a trigger to that legislation. Climate issues are dealt with through the safeguard mechanism. We’ve dealt with that.” he said at a PM press conference in Canberra..

A major benefit of a climate trigger would assess projects before they start, and would also factor in Scope 3 emissions (when fossil fuels are burnt outside of Australia’s jurisdiction)

See the Explainer: How the “climate trigger” could be the answer to Australia’s fossil fuel problem at Renew Economy
https://reneweconomy.com.au/explainer-how-the-climate-trigger-could-be-the-answer-to-australias-fossil-fuel-problem/

Photos

References

Renew Economy, 16 September 2024, https://reneweconomy.com.au/bulldozer-albanese-slammed-after-bowing-to-mining-lobby-and-refusing-climate-trigger/

Prime Minister, Press Conference 16 September 2024, https://www.pm.gov.au/media/press-conference-parliament-house-canberra-29

Renew Economy, 23 September 2024, Explainer: How the “climate trigger” could be the answer to Australia’s fossil fuel problem https://reneweconomy.com.au/explainer-how-the-climate-trigger-could-be-the-answer-to-australias-fossil-fuel-problem/