The Queensland Land Court will today begin hearing the Australian Conservation Foundation and Mackay Conservation Group's challenge to Whitehaven Coal's Winchester South thermal and metallurgical coal mine, proposed for the Bowen Basin.
The environment groups will argue the court should recommend no mining lease or environmental authority be granted for the Winchester South project - Australia's largest proposed new coal project - due to its significant environmental and human rights impacts.
At Winchester South, Whitehaven plans to:
- Dig six huge mine pits to extract up to 17 million tonnes of thermal and metallurgical coal each year for 28 years, generating at least 583 million tonnes of climate pollution - more than the entire annual emissions of Australia.
- Release huge volumes of methane into the air, adding to the already severely underreported methane coming from the Bowen Basin.
- Destroy at least 2,000 hectares of wildlife habitat that is home to endangered and threatened species including koalas, greater gliders, the Australian painted snipe, the ornamental snake and squatter pigeon.
- Take large quantities of water from the Isaac floodplain and groundwater aquifers.
Adam Beeson, ACF's legal counsel, said:
"If it goes ahead as planned, over its lifetime Whitehaven's Winchester South mine would produce more climate pollution than every source in Australia does in a year.
"Although the Winchester coal would be burnt overseas, it would supercharge bushfires, heatwaves, coral bleaching and other extreme weather events here at home.
"Approving a mine to produce coal that will be burnt beyond 2050 is completely reckless when the world needs to cut emissions quickly."
Imogen Lindenberg, climate campaigner from Mackay Conservation Group, said:
"The science is crystal clear: Australia - and the world - needs to cut climate pollution as fast as possible to avoid the worst-case climate scenarios.
"It's time for a serious plan to help the Central Queensland region transition away from coal. We deserve good jobs, strong communities and a safe climate."
ACF and MCG will be represented in court by the Environmental Defenders Office.
