The NSW Department of Planning has recommended a new coal mine in the Hunter Valley, on the same day a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned of dangerous climate change impacts if coal mining continues to increase.
The report warns if warming was allowed to reach 2C, the world would risk hitting "tipping points", setting a course towards uncontrollable temperatures.
Carmel Flint from Lock the Gate said the recommendation to proceed shows the NSW Government is completely missing in action.
“Not only will this mine put the climate at risk, but new research shows it will take South Korean mining giant KEPCO one step closer to destroying a magnificent valley with state significant heritage values.
“The Department of Planning and Environment has cherry-picked the expert heritage information and moved only to amend the mine plan slightly when it’s clear the mine should have been rejected outright.
“Equally worrying is that there is no new information on Aboriginal cultural heritage impacts provided by the department, even though the Independent Planning Commission previously stated that further investigation was needed.
“This mine will only proceed with the backing of the NSW Government, who at every step has allowed it to progress through the planning process despite the obvious and unacceptable risks it poses to farmland, water, and heritage.
“We’re calling on the NSW Premier to come and meet local landholders and visit the site as a matter of urgency and then to take firm action to end this dangerous mining proposal," Ms. Flint said.
