Eight coal projects the New South Wales government will consider in 2023 would add at least 1.5bn tonnes to global greenhouse gas emissions if they all proceeded, according to analysis by Lock the Gate.
The anti-mining group said it was the largest proposed expansion of coalmining in the state since the Paris agreement on climate change was signed and showed a need for changes to planning laws to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
The analysis considered eight proposed expansions of existing mines that could be assessed and determined in NSW in 2023.
They include the Newstan mine near Newcastle, the Chain Valley colliery near Mannering Park and the Moolarben mine east of Mudgee.
Lock the Gate produced its analysis using the projected carbon emissions in available project assessment documents.
The group found the eight projects collectively would produce at least 1.5bn tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions, including what are known as scope 3 emissions from when the coal is sold and burned, mostly overseas.
Most of those emissions – about 1.2bn – would be attributable to a single project, Glencore and Yancoal’s Hunter Valley operations project.
Lock the Gate’s NSW coordinator, Nic Clyde, said the Perrottet government’s policy of allowing coal projects to continue was undermining its stated climate goals to cut emissions by 70% by 2035 and to reach net zero by 2050.
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“Dangerous climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels like coal has led to devastating extreme weather events all over NSW,” he said.
“[The planning minister] Anthony Roberts should have amended planning laws to put a safe climate before coal and gas mining, but he has failed to do so.
“Due to his failure to act, NSW is now staring down the barrel of the biggest climate bomb from coalmine expansions since the Paris agreement – putting our future at risk.”
In assessments of other fossil projects, the state’s planning department has noted NSW had a large suite of climate policies but that policies to guide the assessment of developments such as mines and industrial facilities were not clear on how to assess emissions consistently.
Independents calling for stronger climate policies and the ruling out of new coal or gas projects are targeting key Sydney seats in the state election next month.
Victoria Davidson, the independent candidate for Lane Cove, said all government decisions should be viewed with the effects of the climate crisis in mind.
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“We’re not going to reach our targets if we keep expanding and approving new coal and gas,” she said.
“If the government wants to be seen as climate friendly, it can’t be making shiny announcements of new renewable energy zones and then approving new coal and gas projects.”
Helen Conway, the independent candidate for North Shore, said benefits delivered by the expansion of renewable energy in the state would be eroded if coal and gas also continued to expand.
She said the state also needed clear policies and targets to cut emissions in other sectors, including transport.
“If they were serious about this, they would legislate their emissions targets,” she said.
Roberts said the state’s net zero plan set the foundation for reaching a 50% emissions reduction target by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
“NSW was one of the first Australian jurisdictions to commit to net zero emissions by 2050. We are now on track to halve emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels while growing the economy,” he said.
A spokesperson for the planning and environment department said the impacts of all proposed mining projects were thoroughly investigated. They said the NSW Independent Planning Commission, which ultimately decides whether a project can proceed, also set strict conditions when projects were approved.
They said all new projects would be considered against the target to reduce emissions by 70% by 2035 and the state’s strategic statement for coal exploration and mining, which set out the approach to transitioning to a low-carbon economy.