Australia Approves Middlemount Coal Expansion Amid Climate Backlash
The Australian government led by Anthony Albanese has approved the expansion of a major coal mine in Queensland, a decision conservationists and scientists say will worsen the climate crisis and destroy critical habitat for threatened wildlife.
The extension of the Middlemount coal mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, jointly owned by US-based Peabody and China-owned Yancoal, will allow the export of around 85 million tonnes of coal over the next 24 years.
Environmental groups estimate that burning this coal overseas for electricity generation or steelmaking would result in approximately 236 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions across the project’s lifetime, an amount close to half of Australia’s current annual carbon footprint.
The approval also permits the clearing of about 81 hectares of greater glider habitat and 183 hectares of koala habitat. Company documents indicate that a separate 1,557-hectare area has been identified to offset the environmental damage caused by the clearing.
As part of the approval conditions, the mine operator has been instructed to identify and relocate tree hollows used by greater gliders. However, ecologists have strongly criticised the measure, warning it is unlikely to prevent serious harm to the species.
Professor Euan Ritchie of Deakin University said the plan to relocate tree hollows was fundamentally flawed and dismissed claims that it could offset habitat destruction. He warned that changes to temperature and microclimate could make relocated hollows unsuitable, leading to the deaths of many animals.
Professor David Lindenmayer, a forest ecologist at Australian National University, echoed those concerns, saying the approval effectively condemns greater gliders to die. Habitat loss and global heating are among the primary threats facing the species, which was listed as endangered in 2022.
Middlemount is the second coal mine expansion approved by the federal government this year, following the recent approval of the Meandu mine extension in Queensland, which supplies coal to the Tarong power stations.
Environmental advocates say the decision undermines the government’s climate credibility. Lock the Gate coordinator Claire Gronow said continued approval of new or expanded coal projects contradicts the need for an orderly transition away from fossil fuels.
Queensland Conservation Council campaigner Charlie Cox said the scientific evidence on coal and climate change was clear, warning that further coal extraction would intensify extreme weather, flooding, and broader climate risks for Australians.
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