The High Court dismissed MACH Energy's appeal and upheld a block on extending the New South Wales mine to 2048. Justice James Edelman said planners ignored 98 percent of the project's emissions.
Australia's High Court on Wednesday dismissed MACH Energy's appeal and upheld a decision blocking a two-decade extension of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in New South Wales, Reuters reported. It was the first climate case to reach the country's top court.
MACH wanted to run the mine, due to stop in December this year, until 2048 and to double production. The expansion would have allowed an extra 406 million tons of coal. The court dismissed the appeal with costs.
Justice James Edelman said scope 3 emissions, mostly from burning exported coal overseas, made up 98 percent of the project's greenhouse gases. The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission had not considered conditions on those emissions. Edelman wrote that by focusing only on 2 percent of the emissions, the commission failed to consider whether conditions should minimise greenhouse gases to the greatest extent practicable.
Community-group president Wendy Wales, a retired science teacher, said the court confirmed that shipping coal overseas does not sever the climate consequences. MACH Energy said it was disappointed. Western Australia's Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief Aaron Morey said the ruling created fresh uncertainty for liquefied natural gas projects. Minerals Council of Australia chief Tania Constable said it sent a negative signal on sovereign risk.
Reuters cited government figures that Australia shipped 209 million metric tons of thermal coal for A$31 billion in 2026-27. The judgment does not itself close other mines.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Wendy Wales said Australia cannot ship coal overseas and pretend the consequences are unrelated.
- MACH Energy said it was disappointed.
- Aaron Morey said the ruling created fresh uncertainty for LNG projects.