In short:
The Queensland Land Court has ruled in favour of one of Australia's largest proposed greenfield coal projects.
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Court → rule → projects
A coalition of conservation groups tried to stop the proposed $1 billion mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin.
What's next?
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What → try → Basin
The Queensland and federal governments will have final say on all approvals before the mine can begin producing an expected 17 million tonnes of coal a year.
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mine → have → coal
One of Australia's largest proposed greenfield coal projects has been given the green light to continue planning after a ruling in Queensland's land court.
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One → propose → court
Whitehaven Coal's $1 billion Winchester South coalmine in the is expected to produce 17 million tonnes of coal a year.
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coalmine → expect → coal
The project, which is still subject to final approvals by the state and federal governments, would extract mostly metallurgical coal, used to make steel and thermal coal.
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which → extract → steel
The proposal has been on hold while the Land Court of Queensland heard an application from the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Mackay Conservation Group (MCG).
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Court → hear → Foundation
The court's decision handed down on Friday after a seven-week hearing.
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decision → hand → hearing
The two groups objected to the open-cut mine because of the potential environmental impacts, climate change and demand for coal into the future.
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groups → object → future
Whitehaven argued the mine's emissions "would be only a tiny amount within overall global carbon emissions".
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emissions → argue → emissions
ACF and MCG said it would influence climate change, according to the judgment.
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it → say → judgment
The court was told burning the coal from the project would cause an increase of 0.0003 degrees Celsius of warming, and that the total emissions over the life of the mine would be 557,246,614 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
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emissions → tell → equivalent
In his judgement, Judge Nicholas Loos said the amount of CO2 created was "an extraordinary amount", agreeing that ACF and MCG "advance an eloquent and powerful argument about the frightening consequences of the human driven warming of the planet".
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ACF → say → planet
"The proposed mine is going to contribute to those frightening consequences," Judge Loos said.
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Loos → propose → consequences
"But those consequences are going to eventuate with or without this mine … [and] there may be hundred or even thousands of projects proposed, around the world, that will each have the consequence of a 0.0003 Celsius temperate increase.
"
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that → go → increase
This is the wicked problem of addressing climate change.
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This → address → change
It can only be meaningfully met by cumulative action."
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It → meet → action
The mining company said that regardless of future demand for electricity sources, "it should be entitled to carry the risk of future viability" by operating its mine.
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it → say → mine
Judge Loos said he was unable to agree with ACF and MCG's argument that the project should be refused on their three primary grounds of objection.
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project → say → objection
The Winchester South project is expected to provide 500 jobs during construction and operation, according to the mining company.
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project → expect → company
Judge Loos said the creation of jobs and economic activity for the Isaac region would also be another "key benefit".
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creation → say → region
He said the local environmental impacts would be serious, but found that Whitehaven's comprehensive plan to manage those impacts was acceptable.
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plan → say → impacts
He found that the mine's $696 million in royalties over its life — according to Deloitte calculations — was an "upside" to granting the mine
MCG coordinator Imogen Lindenberg said the groups were considering "their next move" following the court's decision.
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groups → find → decision
"While this decision hurts, this case has achieved so much," Ms Lindenberg said.
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Lindenberg → hurt → much
"It put the climate impacts of new coal mines under intense legal scrutiny, it forced Whitehaven to answer serious questions in court, and it strengthened the legal arguments around climate harm, community impacts and future risk.
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it → put → harm
"And it showed, clearly and publicly, that communities in central Queensland are willing to stand up and challenge powerful fossil fuel companies."
What's next for Whitehaven?
Following the court's ruling, the Queensland government will now to decide whether the project proceeds.
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project → show → ruling
Judge Loos said the project had been "carefully examined" before coming before the Land Court, having already been recommended to proceed by the state's coordinator-general in 2023, subject to conditions and recommendations, following an assessment of its Environment Impact Statement.
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project → say → Statement
The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation then approved the mine's Environmental Authority (EA) application in 2024.
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Department → approve → 2024
But before the mine can begin operating an EA and mining lease will need to be issued from the state government before the federal government makes the final decision.
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government → begin → decision
The Aporia
