Nannas collect signatures to protect our drinking water from coal mining and get ready to prevent the approval of the biggest coal mine in NSW history.
Sutherland Markets
On Saturday 13 June, Nannas set up outside the Shire Farmers’ Market in Sutherland. There’s a great spot for meeting up with people just outside the markets. Children were keen to make koala masks and colour in native animals with us, while their parents were happy to chat with us.
We had information about local environmental issues including mining pollution in nearby waterways and Peabody’s plans to extend their long-wall coal mine under Sydney’s drinking water catchment. The permanent damage already done by longwall mining was not something people were aware of, but nearly everyone we asked was willing to read about it and sign a petition.
It was World Wide Knit in Public Day and we invited people to join us in some public knitting.
The biggest coal project in NSW history
The campaign to stop the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project, the biggest coal project in NSW history, has entered the critical stage — assessment by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC).
On Friday 12 June, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) referred the project to the IPC for decision. The assessment process includes public submissions, which can be written, by video or in-person at the hearing. The hearing is likely to be held in Singleton, the nearest town to the existing Glencore and Yancoal HVO complex.
If approved, mining will continue until 2045, extracting approximately 430 million tons of coal from an extension to approved mining areas and by mining deeper into the coal seams. The Planning Department has not provided the IPC with an overall recommendation. However, if the IPC approves the project, the Department has ‘provided recommended conditions’.
The total climate pollution produced would be 800 million tonnes, which is seven times the current total annual emissions of NSW.
Wednesday 17 June — Lock the Gate is conducting a Climate Impacts Story Workshop Webinar. If you have a story about the impacts of climate change on your life, please consider speaking at the IPC hearing. Register here.
IPC website – key dates
8 July – Speaker registrations close at 12 noon
16 – 17 July – Public Hearings 10am at Branxton Community Hall 35 Bowen St, Branxton
26 July – Submissions close before midnight – submission guides will be available soon.
NSW Planning Portal — documents for this proposal and earlier submissions.
Biggest proposed coal project in NSW history referred to IPC as government accepts (most) Net Zero Commission findings (Lock the Gate)
Government responds to Coal Report
The NSW Government has published its response to the Net Zero Commission Coal Mining Emissions Spotlight Report.
The government has accepted that:
- On-site abatement at existing mines is essential and additional regulation is required to achieve measurable on-site abatement.
- The Commonwealth and NSW governments should accelerate efforts to improve the accuracy of fugitive emissions reporting of open cut coal mines.
- NSW consent authorities need to meaningfully consider greenhouse gas emissions and their impacts in all planning decisions, including those for additional coal mining.
- NSW Government needs to prioritise policies that prepare for the decline of coal extraction and provide for a just and orderly transition for coal-producing communities and impacted regional economies.
The government has noted, but not accepted, the following advice from the Net Zero Commission: ‘Continued extensions or expansions to coal mining in NSW are not consistent with the emissions reduction targets in the Climate Change Act or the Paris Agreement temperature goals it gives effect to.’
The government is counting on ‘mitigation technologies, forecast declines in coal production and the offsetting of residual emissions in line with an emissions mitigation hierarchy to reduce emissions’.
The government set up the commission to advise them on meeting the legislated targets in the Climate Change Act and reaching net zero by 2050. Nannas are extremely disappointed that the government has chosen to sidestep one of the most important pieces of advice from the commission. It is also disappointing how little progress there has been towards the four recommendations the government has accepted. Onsite abatement and accurate fugitive emissions reporting are crucial to reducing emissions.
The government should be supporting the work being done to diversify in the coal regions, reskill workers and rehabilitate the land, requiring significant public funding which has not so far been allocated. Demand for coal will drop and our coal regions deserve a fair and orderly transition supported by government — we know we can’t rely on coal corporations to do the right thing if they aren’t required to.
Government is supposed to lead us, not bow to failing industries of the past.
Coal Mining Emissions Spotlight Report (Net Zero Commission)
Climate Change $$$ Impacts
The Net Zero Commission’s report on the Economic Impacts of Climate Change in NSW was released on 10 June. It provides clear evidence that climate change is already driving up costs and reducing incomes in NSW, with impacts set to intensify without action.
NSW receives $2.7 billion in royalties from coal mining, while the cost of climate change is $51 billion. The average NSW resident is already $20,000 a year worse off because of climate change — cost increases for insurance, health, supply chains and infrastructure repairs.
The Minns government has approved ten coal projects since taking office and twenty extensions and expansions are in the planning system. They banned greenfield mines — projects on new sites — as a publicity stunt to mask expansions. No greenfield projects have been in the planning system for years.
If the government is serious about protecting us from climate disasters, it must reject coal expansions and extensions. Otherwise, other businesses and individuals will be expected to work harder to reach emission targets.
The Economic Impacts of Climate Change in NSW (Net Zero Commission)
Octogenarian Parkrun
Nanna Alanah finished the annual Octogenarian Parkrun held at Rhodes with a time of 37:22 mins on 30 May. Ten women and 11 men completed the five kilometre course. Two nonagenarians ran in the event. The fastest time was 34:20 mins.
This special event to celebrate older runners was held alongside the usual weekly run. Parkruns are five kilometre community running events held every Saturday (plus Christmas Day) all over Australia and overseas. Nanna Alanah has been doing them weekly at various sites for about four years.
Anti-Herzog protesters in court
Thirty protesters were arrested at the anti-Herzog rally at the Town Hall on 9 February and twenty-five of those applied for a joint trial, which was held on 11 June.
Nannas joined a rally outside the Downing Centre Court in solidarity with the arrestees and called for all charges to be dropped because the Minns government’s Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD) laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in April.
It’s not what happened though — and the charges will be heard in July next year over a six-week period. A pre-trial hearing has been set for the week beginning 8 March 2027, and a six-week long trial begins 19 July 2027.
Twenty-five anti-Isaac Herzog protesters to face joint trial in Sydney (The Guardian)
Housing Crisis – demolition of public housing
The long campaign to protect public housing has reached a new stage in Waterloo. The NSW government is preparing to demolish a three-storey public housing estate at 251 Cope Street. Residents and public housing advocacy groups have established a camp, with some residents refusing to move. They want their homes refurbished, not demolished.
Public housing has already been demolished in Wentworth Park, and further demolitions are planned at Maroubra, Mascot, Arncliffe and Pagewood. Campers at Waterloo are calling for all demolitions to stop and for publicly owned housing to be built rather than private housing that includes a small amount of ‘social’ housing.
Nannas are watching
The evening programs on ABC TV were all on-topic for Nannas on Monday 8 June.
– Is a waste to energy incinerator a risk to human health? (7.30 Report)
– Down the Wire – Saul Griffith electrifying 2515 (Australian Story)
– The AI Race and how Australia is being courted as a key destination for major AI and data centre investment (Four Corners)
Nannas are reading
We need a moratorium on Australia’s data centre development (Crikey)
‘An equal and habitable world is possible’: academics set out sweeping vision for planetary survival (The Guardian)
We are the plan! Act Now! (True North)
Cartoon of the week
First Dog on the Moon shows our love and gratitude to the brave boffins at the coal face of existential dread, the Climate Scientists – Nannas are sending them hugs for Hug a Scientist Day. (The Guardian)
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