THE ADANI CARMICHAEL coal mine cannot proceed if Australia is serious about tackling climate change and protecting the Great Barrier Reef, according to the Climate Council.
Today the Environment Minister Melissa Price approved the groundwater management plans for the proposed mine.
"How dare this government give its stamp of approval to this appalling project," said the Climate Council's Chief Councillor, Professor Tim Flannery.
"This project doesn't stack up economically, Australians don't want it and none of the major banks will back it. It's the exact opposite of responsible climate policy. Fortunately, there's still time to stop this insanity," said Professor Flannery.
"The proposed mine in the Galilee Basin has the potential to be a carbon bomb. It poses serious risks to the environment, public health and North Queensland tourism," said Professor Flannery.
"If all the coal in the Galilee Basin was burned, it is estimated that 705 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would be released each year. That's more than 1.3 times Australia's current annual emissions."
"Australia's pollution has been going up year on year. How can the Federal Government justify a polluting mine like Adani when the world needs action on climate change?"
"Burning coal drives climate change and Australians are already feeling the impact. We've just lived through an Angry Summer with temperature records smashed and bushfires ravaging rainforests. We must leave fossil fuels in the ground and continue the transition to clean energy with renewables and storage technology," he said.
