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NAB’s Climate Report is full of greenwash

Since launching the Move Beyond Coal movement and the NAB #NotAnotherDollar for Whitehaven Coal campaign in September, almost 1,000 people have emailed NAB executives directly asking them to rule out funding for Whitehaven Coal! We’ve sent these emails to NAB executives- Ross McEwan(CEO), Phil Chronican (Chairman), David Gall (Corporate Banking) and Shaun Doolley (Risk) because they have the power to end NAB’s toxic relationship with Whitehaven Coal.

These 1,000 emails have not been responded to by Phil, Ross, David or Shaun, but by Jordan Grace - who heads up NAB’s ‘sustainability’ team. We’d like to thank Jordan for his response, however, we’re still looking forward to hearing from Ross. Sadly, the response we’ve received from NAB’s sustainability team so far essentially redirected us to find detailed information on their approach in their 2022 Climate Report.

So, we thought we’d take a look at NAB’s 2022 Climate Report for clues about how they think they’ve answered our questions and concerns that many of the 1,000 of us included in our emails. 

1. We asked NAB to immediately and publicly end all forms of finance for companies and projects expanding* the coal industry….

NAB’s 2022 Climate Report didn’t include any policy updates that would rule out refinancing a company like Whitehaven Coal. Importantly, their policies exclude project finance for new thermal coal projects, but still doesn’t rule out the companies building them. So, NAB can say (and do) that they’re not financing new thermal coal projects BUT still give money to Whitehaven Coal who *spoiler alert* only mine coal! NAB had a chance to update this policy in their climate report and didn't. 

NAB scores: 0 points

2. We asked NAB to commit to ending all forms of finance for all coal, oil and gas by 2030. 

In regards to NAB's target of 0 thermal coal exposure by 2030, the 2022 Climate Report said "Achieving this target will require a combination of existing thermal coal sector customers diversifying their operations, and reducing exposure to customers that are not transitioning their operations in line with NAB’s sector target." [1] So, in layman's terms they understand they either have to drop customers that aren’t diversifying (Whitehaven Coal is Australia’s largest pure-play coal company) OR work with existing customers, like Whitehaven Coal to diversify their company. Whitehaven Coal has no plans to diversify or transition, and therefore we agree with NAB and think they need to ‘reduce their exposure’ to Whitehaven Coal!

NAB scores: 0 points

3. We pointed out that Whitehaven Coal has no transition plan and asked NAB to immediately end the relationship, as Whitehaven plans to double coal production by 2030!

NAB’s 2022 Climate Report says, “Across its lending portfolio, the Group (i.e. NAB) will support the transition to net-zero by 2050 by: Considering selectively reducing exposure to high emitting clients that have been unable to demonstrate how they are aligned with the Group's sector targets."[2]

Whitehaven Coal is the biggest undiversified coal mining company on the Australian share market. Whitehaven has no substantive climate policy, no known intention to phase out coal and is in fact actively expanding its coal operations.  Any bank financing Whitehaven Coal is supporting Whitehaven’s expansion of the coal industry, at a time when we should be phasing out coal. It's time for some definitive action from NAB to rule out financing clients who have plans incompatible with NAB's targets. Once again, NAB had a chance to change this with the release of their 2022 Climate Report, but failed to do so.

NAB scores: 0 points.

Whilst we appreciate the email response from NAB’s sustainability team, we’d much prefer NAB to live up to their own climate promises and rule out all funding for Whitehaven Coal. Until then, our people-powered movement will be on the streets, in branches, at AGMs and HQs and sending more emails until NAB’s actions reflect their words.

Tell NAB Executives to stop financing coal!


[1] Pg. 28 NAB’s 2022 Climate Report
[2] Pg. 21 NAB’s 2022 Climate Report


Australian Coal Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Australian coal and its impacts. If you have suggestions for more questions we could answer, please email [email protected].


Coal mine approval decisions on Minister Plibersek's desk could lead to over 17bn tonnes of carbon pollution

Last updated: 26 September 2022

There are currently 29 coal mining projects that are referred for assessment under Australia’s Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. These coal mining expansion projects require approval decisions by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. When Tanya Plibersek became Australia’s environment Minister, she inherited 27 coal mining approval decisions from the previous government. Minister Plibersek has indicated she will reject one of these projects, the Clive Palmer owned Central Queensland Coal project. Three more coal mining projects have since been referred for assessment under the EPBC Act, bringing the total number of coal mining projects on Minister Pliversek’s desk to 29.

Read on Bloomberg

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Of the 29 referred coal mining projects, 16 are brownfield extensions to existing mines and 13 are new greenfield coal mines. NSW has 12 new referred coal mining projects, and Queensland has 17.

Albanese’s government “is talking the talk that Australia is back on climate, but it’s got all these coal mines that are under review... We cannot allow new mines to be dug in 2022,” Fahimah Badrulhisham, spokesperson for Move Beyond Coal,

There are also applications before the Environment Minister to protect Aboriginal Cultural Heritage sites from coal mining, such as the Wonnarua people’s section 10 application regarding Glencore’s Glendell coal mine extension. Minister Plibersek will also make a decision on whether to approve Adani’s North Galilee Water Scheme (NGWS), a pipeline proposed to transport 12.5 billion litres of water each year from the Suttor river to the Adani Carmichael coal mine to wash coal. The Federal Court found the previous Minister Sussan Ley made an error of law by not applying the water trigger to the assessment of the project and the project is now being reassessed.

This analysis estimates the Scope 3 emissions of each referred new coal project, created from the burning of the coal produced. Scope 3 emissions account for the overwhelming majority of greenhouse gas emissions of coal mining, however Scope 3 emissions of exported coal are not considered in Australia’s domestic climate targets. This analysis of estimated scope 3 emissions from EPBC referred coal mining projects highlights the immense contribution to global warming these projects would make if approved by Minister Plibersek.

Summary of results

The analysis estimates that the 29 coal mining projects currently awaiting federal approval, if approved by Minister Plibersek, would produce 17,545,693,748 tonnes of CO2 emissions from the burning of coal (scope 3 emissions) if the projects proceed. This is equivalent to about 35 times Australia’s current annual reported emissions from all sources and approximately half of all energy related annual emissions for the entire world in 2021 (36.3 billion tonnes), according to the International Energy Agency

The total scope 3 CO2 emissions for 12 proposed coal mining projects in NSW currently awaiting federal approval is estimated to be 4,418,956,628 tonnes. Total scope 3 CO2 emissions for 17 proposed coal mining projects in Queensland currently awaiting federal approval is estimated to be 13,126,737,120 tonnes.

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Key Coal Expansion Threats

Valeria Coal Project (QLD) - Glencore

EIS docs here

Proposed by Glencore PLC, the biggest coal miner in Australia, the Valeria project is a greenfield open-cut thermal and metallurgical coal mine, near Emerald in Central Queensland. It plans to produce 17 million tonnes of ROM coal per annum for approximately 35 years. Construction is planned to start in 2024.

The six pit open cut mine is likely to impact on over a dozen nationally listed threatened species. The mine would destroy 10,365 ha of land 270km west of Rockhampton near Capella - a key agricultural region where wheat, sorghum, and beef are produced. The rail line and associated infrastructure would impact a further 12,000 hectares, including prime farmland and important habitat for at least 17 threatened species or ecological communities, including the koala and greater glider.


Winchester South Coal Project (QLD) - Whitehaven Coal

EIS docs here

The proposed greenfield mine would dig about 17 million tonnes of ROM coal each year for 28 years. The project is located on the Issac River floodplain and would drain local groundwater at an average of 183 million litres each year, with a potential maximum rate of 352 million litres each year into the mine pits.

Whitehaven’s EIS reveals it plans to leave four unrehabilitated pit voids (giant holes where mining has occurred) at the end of the mine's life. These pits will continue to drain water from the surrounding area and concentrate heavy metals and salts in the voids.

The total proposed disturbance footprint of the mine is approximately 7,130 ha and Whitehaven plans to clear 719.9 ha of remnant vegetation and 6,408.6 ha of non remnant vegetation that provides habitat for listed threatened species including the Greater Glider, Squatter Pigeon and the Koala which has recently been listed as Endangered in Queensland. Winchester South would also clear over 100 hectares of endangered Natural Grasslands and other endangered ecosystems.


Narrabri Underground Extension Project (NSW) - Whitehaven coal

EIS docs here

The project will extend the Narrabri coal mine’s life by 13 years to 2044 and increase the total ROM coal mined from 170 million to 280 million tonnes. This planned underground expansion of the existing mine would release high levels of the potent greenhouse gas methane, which is released when the coal is mined. Methane is 86 times more potent than CO2 over the first 20 years of its release. In addition to the 28,512,000 tonnes of scope 3 emissions of CO2, the project would emit 1.36 million tonnes of scope 1&2 CO2-equivalent a year, making it the dirtiest thermal coal mine in Australia,1 mostly through its very high methane emissions. A further 456m tonnes of CO2 would be released after the coal is sold and then burned.

The project will extend the mine’s life by 13 years to 2044 and increase the total coal mined from 170m to 280million tonnes.


Hunter Valley Operations North and South projects (NSW) - Yancoal and Glencore

EIS docs here and here

Yancoal and Glencore are seeking approval to extend the life of the Hunter Valley Operations North and Hunter Valley Operations South thermal coal mines until 2050 and extract an additional 400 million tonnes of coal. The two mine sites have separate development consents, but operate together as a large mining complex near Singleton, in the NSW Hunter Valley. Currently, the approved mining completion dates are 2025 for HVO North and 2030 for HVO South.

The two projects were referred for assessment in June 2022, just weeks after Minister Plibersek was sworn in as Environment Minister. HVO North and South are estimated to contribute 1,737,612,800 tonnes of carbon pollution over their operating life, more than three times Australia’s annual reported emissions.

Significantly, these proposed extensions extend the life of large thermal coal mines to 2050, while global climate agreements require advanced economies like Australia, Japan and South Korea, to have phased out thermal coal use by 2030.

1 Narrabri mine expansion would make it dirtiest thermal coalmine in Australia, environmentalists say - The Guardian


Methodology

Product coal volume information was located in Environmental Impact Statements and planning documents for coal mine projects in Queensland. Product coal is the amount of coal that a mine will produce after run of mine (ROM) coal is processed. Product coal is mined coal that will be burned and produce emissions.

For projects with average annual product coal volumes published in EIS documents, this figure was multiplied by the number of years the project is proposed to operate, to estimate the total volume of product coal for the life of mine.

For projects where average annual product coal volume data was absent but an indicative mine schedule included anticipated annual product coal production, all anticipated annual product coal volumes were added together to estimate the total volume of product coal for the life of mine. An example of a project where an indicative mine schedule is published, but not an average annual product coal figure is the Horse Pit extension project, see Figure 3.6 on page 25.

For projects where annual product coal volume data and an indicative mine schedule was absent, ROM coal volumes were assumed to have a recovery rate of 80%. Therefore product coal volumes were estimated to be 80% of ROM coal volumes. NSW projects that fall into this category are marked in the table below with an asterisk next to the project name.

To estimate Scope 3 CO2 emissions from the proposed coal mining projects total product coal volumes of the life of mine for each project were multiplied by the gross energy content for thermal and metallurgical coal, as specified in Table 5.4 from the AES Guide to the Australian Energy Statistics 2021. Energy content per tonne of thermal coal is 27 petajoule (PJ) / tonne and 29 PJ / tonne for metallurgical coal. When coal is burned, it produces 94,600 tonnes of CO2 per petajoule (PJ) of energy, according to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories - Volume 2 Energy. Multiplying the total gross energy content (PJ) by 94,600 produces an estimate of the total number of tonnes of CO2 that will be produced by the burning of the life of mine coal.

For projects planning to produce both metallurgical coal and thermal coal, an energy per mass value of 28 was applied as this figure is between the energy content of thermal coal (27 petajoule / tonne) and the energy content of metallurgical coal (29 petajoule / tonne).


Example project calculation: Winchester South Coal Project (thermal and metallurgical coal) 

Winchester proposed life of mine coal production

308 million tonnes

https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/coordinat or-general/assessments-and-approvals/coordinated

-projects/current-projects/winchester-south-project

Energy per mass

28 PJ/Mt

AES Guide to the Australian Energy Statistics 2021

Energy

8624 PJ

 

CO2 per energy

94,600 t CO2/PJ

IPCC (2006) 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories - Volume 2 Energy Table 1.4

Winchester mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

786,693,600 tonnes CO2

 


NSW: 12 new coal mining projects currently awaiting decision by the Federal Environment Minister

The total estimated scope 3 CO2 emissions for proposed coal mining projects in NSW awaiting decision by the Federal Environment Minister: 4,418,956,628 tonnes CO2.

Project Name / EPBC Number

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mt)

Years of mine life

Project start

Project end

Coal type

Annual scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Moolarben OC3 Extension Project*

Yancoal

NSW

8.22

10

2026

2036

Thermal

20,944,440

209,444,400

2 Full EIS still being prepared. Product coal is 22 mtpa from 24mtpa ROM coal, therefore 91.6% of ROM coal ends up as product coal. OC3 extension will produce 9mtpa ROM coal, 91.6% of 9mtpa is 8.2mtpa of product coal produced by the OC3 extension. P18 - Figure 8 https://epbcpublicportal.awe.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/faafcb27-63b1-ec11-bea1-00155d69a18d/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=20 22-9162%20Att%20E%20-%20OC3%20Extension%20Project%20Scoping%20Report.pdf

Project Name / EPBC Number

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mt)

Years of mine life

Project start

Project end

Coal type

Annual scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Glendell Continued Operations Project 2019/8409

Glencore

NSW

4.53

20

2024

2044

Thermal

/ Met

11,021,200

220,424,0004

Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project 2020/8735

MACH Energy (95%);

JCD Australia (5%)

NSW

12.45

26

2022

2048

Thermal

30,132,000

860,000,0006

Narrabri Underground Stage 3 Extension 2019/8427

Whitehaven

NSW

117

13

2031

2044

Thermal and PCI

28,512,000

456,000,0008

Ravensworth UG Mod 10 - Ashton Integration 2022/09208*

Glencore (70.2%),

Marubeni (19.8%),

POSCO (10%)

NSW

5.6910

8

2024

2032

Thermal

/ Met

14,833,280

118,666,240

3 P1 https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-9349%2120191209T222458.979%20GMT

4 Executive Summary

https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-9349%2120191209T222458.979%20GMT

5 Table 3.3, p 23 - https://machenergyaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/5.-Section-3-Project-Description.pdf

6 P14 https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-10418%2120210201T005053.450%20GMT

7    https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-10269%2120201023T021126.211%20GMT

8 P 50 https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-10269%2120201023T021207.795%20GMT

9 P 39 lists coal recovery rate of 80% for the Ravensworth UG project https://www.glencore.com.au/.rest/api/v1/documents/445ec81e32793df85c1881f379c1e131/RUM_AEMR_2009.pdf  10 P 14 of the Ravensworth UG modification report lists in Table 1, the continued production rate of 7mtpa (ROM) coal

https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=DA104/96-MOD-10%2120211109T090741.707%20GMT 7mtpa of ROM coal with a recovery rate of 80% means approximately 5.6mtpa of product coal would be produced from the modification.

Project Name / EPBC Number

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mt)

Years of mine life

Project start

Project end

Coal type

Annual scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Boggabri Mod 8 - Increase in depth of mining

2021/8875

Idemitsu (80%) Chogoku Electric (10%)

NS Boggabri (10%)

NSW

 

6

2033

2039

Thermal

/ Met

22,000,00011

344,680,00012

Newstan Mine Extension Project

2019/8528

Banpu (Centennial)

NSW

 

15

2021

2035

Thermal

/ Met

9,972,68213

64,573,46814

Spur Hill Underground Coal Project* 2014/7239

Malabar

NSW

6.2415

25

EIS

under prepara tion since 2014

 

Thermal

/ Met

13,053,286

326,332,160

11 P 57 https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=MP09_0182-MOD-8%2120210722T053500.297%20GMT

12 Ibid

13 P 79 https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-10333%2120210820T000421.648%20GMT

14 ibid

15 P 7 states 154mt ROM coal is anticipated to be produced over the 25 year life of mine. Assuming a recovery rate of 80% it is estimated the mine would produce

123.2mt of product coal over its 25 year life, this equates to an average of 6.24 mtpa of product coal each year https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=PDA-105%2120190228T215914.010%20GMT

Project Name / EPBC Number

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mt)

Years of mine life

Project start

Project end

Coal type

Annual scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

HVO North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project 2022/09207*

Yancoal (51%)

Glencore (49%)

NSW

17.616

25

2025

2050

Thermal

/ Met

46,618,880

1,165,472,000

HVO South Open Cut Coal Continuation Project

2022/09206*

Yancoal (51%)

Glencore (49%)

NSW

14.417

15

2030

2045

Thermal

/ Met

38,142,720

572,140,800

Ulan Coal Modification 6

- Underground Mining Extension 2022/09292

Glencore

NSW

12.518

2

2033

2035

Thermal

31,927,500

63,855,000

Angus Place West (EPBC 2022/09270)

Centennial Angus Place Pty Limited

NSW

0.5

15

202519

204020

Thermal

1,157,904

17,368,560

16 P 11 states ‘No changes are proposed to the current approved maximum annual coal extraction rate at HVO North of 22 Mtpa.’ assuming an 80% recovery rate for ROM coal, is is estimated the project would produce 17.6 mtpa of product coal https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-11826681%2120201218T052623.883%20GMT

17 P 11 states ‘at HVO South a reduction in the maximum annual ROM coal extraction rate is proposed, from 20 Mtpa to 18 Mtpa.’ assuming an 80% recovery rate for ROM coal (18mtpa), it is estimated the project would produce 14.4 mtpa of product coal https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-11826681%2120201218T052623.883%20GMT

18 https://epbcpublicportal.awe.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/d1aceb4e-b716-ed11-b83e-00224818a6e7/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=0 0-2022-09292%20Referral.pdf

19 https://epbcpublicportal.awe.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/0fe8a264-af00-ed11-82e5-0022481543c7/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=00-2022-09270%20Referral.pdf

20 Ibid


QLD: 17 new coal mining projects currently awaiting decision by the Federal Environment Minister

The total Scope 3 CO2 emissions for proposed coal mining projects in Queensland currently awaiting decision by the Federal Environment Minister is 13,126,737,120 tonnes of CO2.

Project Name

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mtpa)

Years of mine life

Project Start

Project End

Coal type

Annual Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Lake Vermont Meadowbrook Project 2019 /8485

 

Jellinbah

 

QLD

721

25

2023

2048

Thermal / Met

18,144,000

453,600,000

Caval Ridge Mine Horse Pit Extension 2021/9031

BMA

QLD

6.122

31

2025

2056

Thermal / Met

16,149,135

500,623,200

Ensham Life of Mine Extension Project 2020/8669

Idemitsu Bligh Coal

Bowen Investment

QLD

4.523

9

2027

2037

Thermal

11,068,200

99,613,800

Middlemount Coal Project, Stage 2 2021/8920

Peabody Yancoal

QLD

424

23

2022

2044

Met (70%) PCI (30%)

11,016,000

253,368,000

Valeria Coal Project 2021/9077

Glencore

QLD

1525

35

2024

2049

Thermal / Met

39,732,000

1,390,620,000

 

21 p.16 https://jellinbah.com.au/wp-content/uploads/20191126_Meadowbrook_IAS_v3.5_Final.pdf

22 p.25 https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/  data/assets/pdf_file/0022/261940/HPE-EA-Amendment-Supporting-Document.pdf

23 p. 4-1 https://www.idemitsu.com.au/mining/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Chapter-4-Project-description-and-alternatives.pdf

24 p.3 https://www.qld.gov.au/  data/assets/pdf_file/0026/108377/middlemount-stage-2-eis-assessment-report.pdf

25 P1, 1.2 ‘The volume of coal product will approximate 14-16 Mtpa’

https://epbcpublicportal.awe.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/9d5b4858-eab3-ec11-983f-00224818ab04/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=2 021-9077%20-%20referral.pdf

Project Name

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mtpa)

Years of mine life

Project Start

Project End

Coal type

Annual Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Baralaba South Project 2012/6547

AMCI Group

QLD

3.526

20

2023

2043

Thermal / PCI

9,270,800

185,416,000

Winchester South 2019/8460

Whitehaven

QLD

1127

28

2022

2050

Thermal / Met

28,096,200

786,693,600

Saraji East Mining Lease Project 2016/7791

BMA

QLD

728

30

2024

2054

Met / PCI

19,203,800

576,114,000

Isaac River Coking Coal Project

2021/8980

Bowen Coking Coal

QLD

0.429

5

2022

2028

Met & PCI

1,097,360

5,486,800

Walton Coal Project 2017/8077

Aquila Resources

QLD

1.630

8

2023

2030

Met

4,389,440

35,115,520

Meandu Mine King 2 East

2021/8999

Stanwell

QLD

8.8

15

2024

2039

Thermal

22,476,960

337,154,400

China Stone 2014/7353

Macmines Austasia

QLD

3831

50

pause since 2018

 

Thermal

97,059,600

4,852,980,000

26 https://www.qld.gov.au/  data/assets/pdf_file/0015/108312/baralaba-south-ias.pdf

27  https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/coordinator-general/assessments-and-approvals/coordinated-projects/current-projects/winchester-south-project

28 https://www.qld.gov.au/  data/assets/pdf_file/0015/108411/saraji_east_ias.pdf

29 Total product coal extracted is 1.875, divided by 5 year production mine life = 0.375

30 P 3 https://www.qld.gov.au/   data/assets/pdf_file/0023/108446/walton-ias.pdf

31 4.2 of project description -

https://eisdocs.dsdip.qld.gov.au/China%20Stone%20Coal/DEIS/Draft%20EIS%20-%20Volume%201A/china-stone-chapter-4-project-description.pdf

Project Name

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mtpa)

Years of mine life

Project Start

Project End

Coal type

Annual Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Alpha North 2018/8189

Waratah Coal

QLD

4032

30

2030

2060

Thermal

102,168,000

3,065,040,000

The Range Project 2011/5860

Stanmore

QLD

533

26

pause since 2014

 

Thermal

12,771,000

332,046,000

Moorlands Open Cut Coal Mining Project 2015/7451

Cuestacoal / Huaxin Energy

QLD

1.734

30

pause since 2015

 

Thermal

4,342,140

130,264,200

Millmerran Mining Lease Conversion Project (Commodore mine expansion) 2022/09294

Millmerran Power Partners (majority owner Intergen)

QLD

3.2

15

203635

205136

Thermal

8,173,440

122,601,600

32 p.1 https://www.waratahcoal.com/alpha-north-coal-project/ “The project intends to mine 56 Mtpa of run-of-mine (ROM) coal, which will be later processed to produce 40 Mtpa of product coal”

33 p.2 https://www.qld.gov.au/  data/assets/pdf_file/0023/108437/the-range-eis-assessment-report.pdf

34 Webpage says project with have yield of 89% (1.7 is 89% of 1.9mtpa ROM coal) http://www.cuestacoal.com.au/projects/west-bowen

35

https://epbcpublicportal.awe.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/438afbe1-bc12-ed11-b83d-00224818a1ee/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=0 0-2022-09294%20Referral.pdf

36 http://millmerranpower.com/

Project Name

Proponent

State

Annual product coal (mtpa)

Years of mine life

Project Start

Project End

Coal type

Annual Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Life of mine Scope 3 emissions (CO2)

Blackwater Mine South Coking Coal Project 2022/09279

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance Coal Operations Pty Limited

QLD

837

9038

202939

(2031

first coal)

2121

Met and some thermal

21,947,200

1,975,248,00

0

Note: the Federal Minister is currently proposing to reject the Central Queensland Coal Project, we are assuming this draft decision will proceed.

Central Qld Coal Project (Styx)

 2016/7851

Central Queensland Coal (99%)

Fairway Coal (1%)

QLD

2.6

 

49.3 (LOM)40

19

2022

2032

SSCC /

Thermal

6,872,939

130,585,840

 37

https://eisdocs.dsdip.qld.gov.au/Blackwater%20South%20Coking%20Coal/Initial%20Advice%20Statement/blackwater-south-coking-coal-project-initial-advice-statem ent.PDF

38 Ibid

39 Ibid

40 Presentation states 49.3 MT product coal will be produced over life time of 19 years, making for average annual product coal production of https://cqcoal.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20180719-CQC-Project.pdf


Coalmine expansions for Hunter region would cause almost 1bn tonnes of emissions

The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission has approved a coalmine expansion in the state’s Upper Hunter region that would cause almost 1bn tonnes of carbon emissions.

The decision will allow MACH Energy to double the output of its Mount Pleasant mine in Muswellbrook to 21m tonnes a year and extend its life to 2048.

The Lock the Gate Alliance has slammed the decision as “reckless and irresponsible” and called for a national approach to major projects that factored the climate crisis into assessments.

The project would be responsible for 876 megatonnes of emissions over its life, 860 megatonnes of which would be the result of emissions produced after the coal is sold and used, mostly overseas.

“It is madness that as humanity teeters on the brink of climate catastrophe, an assessment authority such as the IPC can wave through a coalmine that will be solely responsible for 876m tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Lock the Gate’s NSW coordinator Nic Clyde.

“This project is the largest coalmine expansion approved in the state since the Paris agreement called on nations of the world to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees yet is totally inconsistent with that pledge.”

The federal environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, must still make a decision on whether the project should proceed and the alliance called on the minister to reject it.

Lisa Cox, The Guardian, 2022

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Whitehaven Coal is one of Australia’s biggest thermal coal producers.

Whitehaven is planning to double its coal production with four major new coal projects. Just three of those mines would unleash almost 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions.

The world’s scientists warn that all coal expansion must stop immediately to avoid runaway global heating. Whitehaven Coal is all about coal - the single biggest driver of the global climate crisis. Whitehaven Coal have no plans to reduce their Scope 3 emissions or reduce their exposure to thermal coal. Instead, they are digging in to the most damaging resource for our climate.

Alarmingly, Whitehaven Coal plans to double its coal production through four major new coal projects. When emissions from digging up and burning the coal are added, over their lifetimes just three of those mines would unleash almost 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of almost twice Australia’s total annual emissions. Whitehaven Coal also wants to explore a brand new coal deposit near Narrabri at Gorman North.

4th "Gorman North" project emissions not yet available. Data: Market Forces

The companies bankrolling Whitehaven are undermining global efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change and putting countless lives and livelihoods at risk. 

Global banks must rule out funding Whitehaven Coal’s disastrous coal expansion.

Banks funding Whitehaven

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Who’s funding Whitehaven’s coal expansion?

Whitehaven is funded by some of the world’s biggest financial institutions. These banks are enabling Whitehaven to accelerate global heating, destroy the environment and violate Aboriginal land rights.

Whitehaven needs about $2 billion to finance its new and expanded coal projects. Whitehaven's financiers must act responsibly to stop Whitehaven further accelerating the climate crisis by:

  1. Ruling out any direct or indirect finance for Whitehaven's new coal projects, and;
  2. Ruling out any further financial support for Whitehaven or any company expanding the production and use of coal.

Banks funding Whitehaven

The companies bankrolling Whitehaven are undermining global efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change and putting countless lives and livelihoods at risk.


Whitehaven Coal’s decade of incidents, fines and breaches of the law

Whitehaven are serial offenders who have repeatedly broken the law, with devastating consequences for water, the environment and local communities.

Whitehaven’s 4 existing open cut coal mines mines in the Namoi Valley in Northwestern NSW have cleared hundreds of hectares of the beloved and environmentally significant Leard State Forest, and had significant impacts on the local farming community with mine buy-outs, intolerable noise and dust pollution, and loss of stream flow in local creeks.

Local farmers, Traditional Owners, and conservationists have fought for over a decade to protect the cultural and environmental values of Leard Forest and the fertile lands and important water sources of the Namoi Valley, and to expose Whitehaven's illegal operations in the region.

Whitehaven have been found guilty or investigated 35 times and incurred almost $1.5 million in total penalties for offences that have included stealing 1 billion litres of water without a licence during the worst drought on record at the Maules Creek Coal mine, polluting waterways, and illegally clearing hundreds of hectares of endangered forest.

This rampant destruction will massively increase if Whitehaven’s new coal projects are allowed to proceed.

Lock The Gate’s Whitehaven Coal Shame File reveals the full extent of Whitehaven’s destructive and often illegal behaviour from 2012.

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Labor faces decisions on approval of up to 27 coal projects

Adam Morton, SMH,  Mon 11 Jul 2022

The Albanese government could face decisions on whether to approve up to 27 coal mining developments, based on applications lodged under national environment laws.

An analysis by the Sunrise Project, a climate activist group, found 13 greenfield coalmines and 14 extensions of existing mines had been referred to the federal government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

Not all proposals are likely to come across the desk of the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek – some are paused, others still require approval from state authorities – but the analysis of fossil fuel proposals suggests it could be a significant issue in this term of parliament.

The Greens have called for a moratorium on new coal and gas mines, reflecting assessments by climate scientists and statements by the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, and the International Energy Agency that they are inconsistent with the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Several independent MPs have adopted a similar position.

Former Pacific leaders last week called on Anthony Albanese to block new coal or gas projects as part of an amplified climate commitment at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji.

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Greenhouse emissions from Australia’s coalmines could be twice as high as official figures say

Ember thinktank report based on IEA estimate suggests coal contributes more to climate crisis than all the cars on Australian roads. 

Twice as much greenhouse gas could be leaking from Australian coalmines than is being reported in official government accounts, according to a new report using data from the International Energy Agency.

The report by Ember, a UK-based energy thinktank, said the IEA had recently increased its estimate of Australia’s methane emissions from coalmines by 59% after receiving new evidence from satellites monitoring the Bowen Basin in Queensland.

Methane is a potent but short-lived greenhouse gas – with 82 times the atmospheric heating power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period – and increasingly a focus of global efforts to deal with the climate crisis. The US, the EU and Indonesia, the world’s biggest coal exporter, were among more than 100 countries that last year pledged to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030, but the Morrison government chose not to join the commitment.

The Ember report said the new increased estimate of Australia’s coalmine methane emissions suggested it was a greater contributor to the climate crisis than all cars on the country’s roads. It illustrated the need for rapid action to deal with the problem, which it described as the “low hanging fruit” of combating climate change.

The report said the best way to deal with the issue was to phase out coal, starting with stopping new coal developments and phasing out the gassiest mines while supporting affected workers and communities.

It found there was a wide divergence between the dirtiest and least emitting mines. Fifteen mines accounted for 50% of reported emissions from coalmining while producing just 10% of coal.

The report said there was enormous uncertainty about global coalmine methane volumes, with the possibility they were about 70% higher than reported in official data. Many estimates were based on desk research, extrapolating from how much coal is mined. In reality, emissions vary between coal seams and mines.

The IEA, which draws its estimates from several sources, already had a higher estimate of Australia’s coalmine methane emissions than official reports, and recently increased it further to 1.8m tonnes last year compared with 0.9m tonnes in Australian government data. It followed the release of satellite data from over the Bowen Basin, Queensland’s major coalmining region, that suggested carbon pollution in the area could be 10 times higher that desk assessments.

“Failing to address direct methane emissions poses a risk to trade relationships with countries like Japan and South Korea, which, unlike Australia, have signed the global methane pledge,” she said. “China has also announced a methane action plan, aimed at cutting methane emissions in major industries, including coalmining.”

The report said important first steps included a comprehensive overhaul of monitoring, reporting and verification to improve emissions data, and the introduction of industry standards that required capture and use of methane and banned venting into the atmosphere.

“Australia is falling behind in a race it could be winning,” Assan said. “The technology exists, but companies are not incentivised to deploy it. It is up to the Australian government to legislate a robust and well thought out plan to rapidly reduce easy-to-tackle leaks in the short term and jump-start a just transition to phase out coal.”

Adam Morton, The Guardian, 8 June 2022

Read more on the Guardian

Ember Report

Two page summary


So what are you waiting for?

Together, we can move Australia beyond coal!