As the international climate talks conclude in Egypt this week, Youth Verdict is calling on the Queensland Government to reject Clive Palmer's application to build a coal-fired power station in the Galilee Basin because of its significant impacts on climate, Culture and Country.
Mr Palmer's company, Waratah Coal, wants to build a power station that will burn 4 million tonnes of coal a year, a total of 120 million tonnes over the facility's forecast 30-year lifespan.
If approved and operated as the company hopes, the facility would add up to 240 million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere over its 30-year lifespan, contributing significantly to global warming.
Youth Verdict, a group of Queensland youth fighting for First Nations-led climate action, is lodging a submission to the planning assessment process by this Friday's deadline.
The submission will be supported by several expert reports, including from Professor Penny Sackett on climate change and Dr Ranajit (Ron) Sahu on air quality and carbon capture and storage technology. (These reports are available on request.)
Friday is also the day the Land Court of Queensland will hand down its decision on Youth Verdict's objection to the mining lease and environmental authority for Clive Palmer's proposed Waratah Coal Project.
In their landmark case, Youth Verdict and the Bimblebox Alliance, represented by the Environmental Defenders Office, are the first to argue coal from a mine will impact the human rights of First Nations Peoples by contributing to dangerous climate change.
They also argue the mine will destroy the Bimblebox Nature Refuge which sits on top of the proposed mine site on Wangan and Jagalingou Country.
Youth Verdict First Nation Campaign Lead Murrawah Johnson said: "We are urging the Queensland Planning Minister, Deputy Premier Steven Miles, in the strongest possible terms to reject the project because of the huge and lasting harm it will do to our climate, Country and culture.
"First Nations cultural identities are being eroded and destroyed through disastrous changes to seasonal patterns and the loss of Cultural reference points on Country through negative changes like rising sea levels.
"Coal burnt at this power station will fuel climate impacts that sever connections to culture on First Nations Lands around Queensland.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural rights are now enshrined in law under the new Queensland Human Rights Act. Minister Miles needs to respect those rights and not allow this power station to destroy our connection to culture."
Youth Verdict founder Monique Jeffs said: "The direct climate impact of this project will be huge – 240 million tonnes of carbon pollution pumped into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and threatening land that First Nations peoples have cared for over thousands of generations.
"First Nations people on the frontlines of climate change are fighting for their cultures. Young people across the state are in the midst of numerous crises that climate change exacerbates.
"Queenslanders need the government to approve projects that create sustainable and safe jobs for everyone, not climate change-fueling power stations and coal mines.
"Does the government want to wait until the next climate-fuelled natural disaster to convince them to stop approving new fossil fuel projects? The Galilee Power Station will basically be a fuse used to detonate the gargantuan carbon bomb sitting underground in the Galilee Basin.
"Mr Palmer's company proposes to use more than half the electricity from this facility to power coal mining operations in the Galilee Basin.
"That means this project would have a climate pollution multiplier effect many times more than burning 120 million tonnes of coal. It would be devastating."
About us:
ABOUT YOUTH VERDICT
Youth Verdict is a group of young people in Queensland fighting for a future where we can thrive on a healthy planet. We are guided by First Nations people, who are committed to doing their generation's part in fulfilling the legacy of caring for Country. We draw strength from First Nations ways of being and a legacy of Black litigation, and resistance to the colony in Queensland. First Nations cultural survival is core to climate justice. That's why we're fighting for First Nations people to have decision-making power over their traditional lands so they can lead action on climate change to ensure all our futures. More details.
