Australia's climate change commitments made under the Paris Agreement could be linked to requirements of a NSW coal mine for the first time, following proposed conditions for the United Wambo mine expansion near Singleton.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission is calling for public comment on expansion conditions of consent for the Wambo Mine, requiring the project to ensure "all practical measures" are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in countries where its coal is exported.
The commission is proposing the joint venture Glencore/Peabody project prepares an export management plan linking the sale of Hunter coal to countries with policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Countries receiving exports include Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The Paris Agreement was signed by more than 170 countries and calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts requiring countries to achieve zero net emissions as soon as possible after 2050.
The agreement has an international goal to hold global warming to "well below 2° C" and to work towards limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels.
The proposed Wambo condition comes after the NSW Land and Environment Court's rejection of the Rocky Hill open-cut mine project in Gloucester Valley last February.
Chief Judge Brian Preston's landmark decision was the first NSW coal mine refusal made considering the unacceptable impact of greenhouse gas emissions and the likely contribution to climate change.
NSW Coordinator for Lock the Gate Alliance Georgina Woods said she welcomed the commission signalling its support for the Paris Agreement as a key framework for the management of new coal mines in NSW.
"This means we are recognising the global context of our industry and making that a part of how mines are considered, approved and managed in NSW," she said.
Ms Woods urges people to make public comment submissions to the commission before August 9.
"There is a lot of conversation to be had in the Hunter about the role our coal export industry plays in global climate change," said Georgina Woods.
"We need have a conversation about how we can best address [climate change] while also making sure the region is diversifying its economy to provide jobs and prosperity in the long run, while the countries that buy coal from us are transforming their own energy systems to more renewable sources."
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| Part of the United Wambo mine complex near Singleton. Image: The Newcastle Herald |
