Australia advances coal mine expansion

State government approves doubling of Mount Pleasant mine as it refuses moratorium on new fossil fuel production

The state government of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has conditionally approved an expansion of the Mount Pleasant coal mine, putting further pressure on the recently elected federal Labor government to take greater account of CO₂ emissions in its planning approvals. The mine is currently approved to extract 10.5mn t/yr of run-of-mine (ROM) coal until December 2026. Operator Mach has received approval to extract double this volume—21mn t/yr of ROM coal—and to extend the mine life by 22 years, to December 2048, subject to certain conditions, which include offsetting biodiversity impacts and obtaining the necessary water licences. “Subject to the recommended conditions, the department co