Economics
Australia Seals Coal Commitment as Controversial Mine Approved
- Queensland gives final approval for Adani’s Carmichael project
- Coal among Australia’s biggest exports, faces climate backlash
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Australia has approved Adani Group’s controversial coal project that opens up a new mining region and puts the world’s biggest exporter further at odds with the global movement to phase out the fuel.
The Carmichael mine, which has faced steady resistance by environmental groups since it was first proposed in 2010, cleared the final regulatory hurdle Thursday when Queensland state approved its groundwater management plan. The decision means Adani can begin work on the first phase, which is expected to cost A$2 billion ($1.4 billion). The India-based developer also plans a rail line to connect the mine in the Galilee Basin, about the size of the U.K., to an existing network that will carry the coal to the coast for export.