There can be no new coal mines if we are to avoid dangerous climate change.

Yet, since May 2022, the Federal Environment Minister has approved 11 new coal mines or expansions with 2,511 million tonnes of lifetime emissions.

Approved Projects
11
Total Coal
888 million tonnes
Total emissions
2,511 million tonnes

Australia is the third largest exporter of fossil fuels in the world.

Instead of closing coal mines, the Federal Government is looking to open more.

There are 29 additional proposals for new or expanded coal mines currently waiting for Federal Government approval.

Approving 11 new coal mines goes against our climate goals. Approving 40 new coal mines, and the 13.9 billion tonnes of emissions they would cause, is incompatible with limiting dangerous climate change.

Approved & Proposed Projects
40
Total Coal
5,606 million tonnes
Total emissions
13,904 million tonnes

If approved, the lifetime emissions from these mines would be equivalent to keeping all of Australia's coal-fired power stations operating for an additional 100 years.

×100 years

The Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt, could say no to these projects.

Ask Murray Watt to stop approving new coal mines.

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Australia has committed to net zero emissions by 2050. To meet this goal, Australia must reduce its emissions by 43% (from 2005 emissions levels) by 2030.

In 2021-22, Australia produced 422 million tonnes of coal. That results in 1.1 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide equivalent CO2-e) in just one year.

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Coal mines