Newly released documents reveal Glencore and Yancoal’s Hunter Valley Operations Continuation coal project would be responsible for 1.2 billion tonnes of total carbon emissions and would be the most polluting project in NSW since the Paris Agreement.
The emissions figures were published today at the beginning of the public submission period for the project, which would require the mining of about 400 million tonnes of ROM coal during approximately 25 years - another record amount for the state since the world agreed to halt warming to as near as possible to 1.5 degrees.
If built, the HVO Project would produce nearly eight times the annual emissions of the entire state of NSW.
Extract from Glencore EIS (8.1, Page 87):
Lock the Gate Alliance NSW Coordinator Nic Clyde said the simple fact the NSW Government was even considering such a polluting project showed Australia’s approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions was ineffective, and put communities at risk of fire, flood and other extreme weather events.
“If the Albanese Government is serious about reducing emissions, if the Perrottet Government is serious about reducing emissions, projects like Glencore and Yancoal’s HVO coal project must not stand a chance of being approved,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the NSW Government has a track record of backing new and expanded coal mining, and has failed to adopt policies to prevent coal mines from blowing NSW’s 2030 and 2050 emission targets.
“This year, the NSW Government looks set to consider the most new and expanded coal mining capacity in the state since the Paris Agreement. This is an absurd position for a government that claims to have good climate credentials.
“Considering such a carbon polluting bomb makes a mockery of any commitments our governments have to reduce emissions and puts Australian communities at risk from severe weather.
“Offsets are essentially a giant con, but the idea that 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions could be offset is beyond laughable.
“It’s particularly galling that our governments are prepared to put our future at risk for a company like Glencore - a global commodity trader which has been found guilty of systematic bribery overseas, and is facing an investigation by ASIC over greenwashing.
ENDS