Australia’s center-left Labor government has approved its first new coal mine since it came to power a year ago, in a boost to the country’s lucrative fossil fuel industry.
Bowen Coking Coal Ltd. said Friday that it had received approval to move ahead with its planned Isaac River Coal Mine, which will sit alongside several other projects in the Bowen Basin in Queensland. The company plans to increase output of coal used in steelmaking to 5 million tons by 2024.
Australia is one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel exporters, which also makes it one of biggest per-capita polluters. The Labor government has pushed to reverse the nation’s reputation as a climate laggard, including imposing emissions targets of 43% off 2005 levels by 2030 and increasing funding for the transition to renewable energy.
However, it’s also faced criticism for maintaining its support for the industry, including guaranteeing future gas exploration and supply. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek defended her decision to approve the new coal mine on Monday, saying that she had made the decision in line with Australia’s current environmental regulations.
“This is a small project,” Plibersek told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “It’s a project that produces metallurgical coal, which is the coal you need for steel making. There’s no renewable energy future that doesn’t have steel in it.”
