Australia expands four coal mines despite warning of climate ‘death sentence’

Australia’s decision to expand four coal mines has been slammed by island nations as a “death sentence” and a betrayal of global climate commitments.

Anthony Albanese’s government on Thursday approved the Boggabri, Caval Ridge Horse Pit, Lake Vermont Meadowbrook and Vulcan South coal mines to extend or expand their operations.

Analysts said these mines could release over 850 million tonnes of CO2 over their lifetimes, double the annual emissions of Australia.

“To put it plainly – it’s a death sentence for us if larger nations continue to open new fossil fuel projects,” Tuvalu’s prime minister Feleti Teo said.

This is the seventh coal mine expansion approved by the Albanese government in less than 90 days. The continued expansion of coal mines comes even as Australia pushes to host the Cop31 climate summit in 2026 on behalf of the island nations.

“The nation intends to co-host COP31 – the 2026 UN Climate Talks –but ongoing expansion of coal and gas risks jeopardising relationships in the region and Australia’s legitimacy as a climate leader,” Reverend James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, said.

Joseph Sikulu, Pacific managing director of the advocacy group 350.org, accused the Albanese government of hypocrisy, adding that the emissions from these projects would dwarf those of the Pacific region.

“These mines will emit 7.5 times more carbon than all Pacific island nations produce in a year,” he said. “This makes a mockery of the ‘family’ Australia claims to call the Pacific.”

Campaigners from island nations in the region accused Australia of betraying them. “While Pacific leaders demand climate action and an end to new fossil fuels, the Albanese government sides with coal billionaires, fueling the crisis that threatens our survival,” Rufino Varea, regional director of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, said.

“Australia cannot claim to stand with the Pacific while digging our graves. No new coal means no excuses. if Australia refuses to lead, it does not deserve to co-host Cop31.”

The decision also drew sharp criticism from Australia’s opposition parties. Greens leader Adam Bandt called it “despicable” while senator Sarah Hanson-Young described it as “giving coal for Christmas”.

“This is the ultimate dumping of rubbish on Christmas Eve,” the senator said. “Approving coal mining in koala habitat is abhorrent. Approving more coal mining in a climate crisis should be illegal.”

In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for the government downplayed the decision, saying: “There are no new mines, they are all extensions of existing operations” and produce minerals essential for steelmaking, “which currently has no feasible renewable alternatives”.

The projects, the spokesperson said, will “support up to 3,000 jobs” and must comply with “Australia’s commitment to net zero” under the government’s climate safeguard laws. The government said “240 strict conditions” have been imposed to ensure environmental protection.

The decision was condemned not just by island nations but also by climate analysts in Australia. Chris Wright, climate strategy advisor at Ember, said the government was putting its own emissions reduction target at risk.

“The Albanese government is roaring toward an emissions cliff and they just hit the accelerator by approving a super-emitting coal mine that could become one of the gassiest in the country by 2030,” he said.

“On the one hand, we’re racing to build out renewables faster than any other country per capita. On the other, we’re racing to approve more coal mines faster than any other.”

According to Ember’s analysis, the Lake Vermont Meadowbrook underground coal mine extension could emit an additional 3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually before 2030, close to 6 per cent of Australia’s remaining emissions budget to 2030 under the Safeguard Mechanism, the country’s primary mechanism for emissions reductions.

“The Safeguard Mechanism won’t survive many more of these super-emitting coal mines, and that’s before their coal even gets shipped off and burned overseas,” Mr Wright said.