The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is calling on the Queensland Premier not to rush through Adani's dangerous coal project and to protect the future of the Great Barrier Reef and all Queenslanders from the impacts of the climate crisis.
Australia's peak marine conservation group is responding to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's announcement that the Coordinator-General will set the timeline for Adani's environmental approvals.
David Cazzulino, AMCS Great Barrier Reef campaigner said, "If the Adani mine goes ahead, it will open the floodgates to the Galilee Basin, one of the largest untapped carbon reserves on Earth.
"Our Great Barrier Reef is on the frontline of climate change. The world's scientists have warned that we need to keep global temperature rises to 1.5C or below in order to maintain the ecological functioning of our Great Barrier Reef.
He added: "To protect our Reef for the next generation we must do our bit to achieve that 1.5C goal and that means the Galilee's coal must stay in the ground.
"We must stop Adani and any new fossil fuel projects to give our Reef a fighting chance and safeguard the 64,000 tourism jobs that exist today, right now."
"The government must allow time for proper scientific scrutiny of Adani's outstanding environmental plans. The Premier must stand up for science and our Reef and communities.
"We are custodians of an international ocean icon, home to unique and endangered species known around the world. We should be showing the world that the home of the Great Barrier Reef can see the future is beyond coal, instead of trying to rush through a project that risks opening up one of the world's biggest untapped carbon reserves."
