A Palaszczuk government decision to give a key environmental approval to Adani’s coal mine puts millions of corals and ocean wildlife on the state’s iconic Great Barrier Reef at risk, says the Australian Marine Conservation Council (AMCS).
The Queensland Government has today approved Adani’s groundwater management plan for its Carmichael thermal coal mine – the final major environmental approval.
The decision by the Queensland Government brings the thermal coal mine project closer to reality, and AMCS Great Barrier Reef campaigner Shani Tager said this was “a very bad decision” for our Reef.
She said: “As custodians of the world’s greatest coral reef system, Queensland and Australia has to lead by example and show there’s a bright future for everybody that’s beyond coal. Instead, they’ve approved a new fossil fuel project which will put more pressure on our Reef.
“Our fight for a healthy Reef isn’t over and there’s still plenty that’s standing in the way of Adani beginning to mine coal. Only yesterday the Federal Government conceded a legal challenge over its handling of Adani’s plan to pump 12.5 billion litres of water a year from the Suttor River.
“Climate change is the greatest threat to our Reef’s future and we cannot risk opening up the Galilee basin for other major coal projects which would heat our oceans and lead to more stress on our beautiful corals and Reef.
“Burning fossil fuels like coal is adding greenhouse gases to our atmosphere, that’s heating our oceans. To give our Reef a fighting chance, we need to keep this coal in the ground.
“The Reef is still a magnificent World Heritage icon and 64,000 tourism jobs depend on its health.
“Put simply, this decision is bad news for everyone who loves and relies on a healthy Reef and bad news for the dolphins, turtles, fish, sharks, rays and corals that call the Reef home, but the fight isn’t over.”
