What you need to know about the coal industry

Mining coal has long been perceived as the ‘engine room’ of Queensland’s economy and the exploitation of our great mineral wealth is supported by Governments of all persuasions. For politicians, the possibility of transitioning Queensland to be less dependent on coal is considered a fanciful idea at best. Despite international commitments to limit greenhouse gas emissions as well as a clear need to protect biodiversity and food security, the Queensland coal industry is undergoing unprecedented expansion.

This article was contributed to the Nature Refuge Landholders Association (NaRLA) May 2010 Newsletter by members of Six Degrees. You can download the whole newsletter here, or visit the NaRLA website to find out how you can help preserve Queensland's precious nature refuges.

An Expanding Industry

Last financial year (2008/09), the state’s 52 coal mines produced a record 191 million tonnes of coal. This financial year is expected to generate $1.43 billion in coal royalties, that makes up just 4% of the total anticipated state government revenue. On the other side of the ledger, the Queensland Government is investing $1.4 billion in coal infrastructure projects over the same period and an additional $340 million in coal power station maintenance and research projects.

While it is clear that coal companies should pay royalties for the privilege to mine and sell coal that belongs to all Queenslanders, it is hard to justify that taxpayers should be burdened with the costs of expanding the industry, especially when this expense outweighs the revenue from royalties.

This infrastructure investment is supporting a rapid expansion of the industry. Already there are 21 coal projects across the state at advanced stages of development, totalling 94 Mta (million tonnes of coal per annum). In addition are three proposed super-mines in the Galilee basin in Central Queensland totalling another 100 Mta, with both the companies and Government currently rushing through approvals. All together, this represents a staggering doubling of the industry in the next six to ten years.

Escalating Impacts

As coal mining grows to cover larger and larger areas of the state, what value is given to the rural communities that are being broken apart, in places such as Acland and Wandoan? What value is given to the productive agricultural lands that are threatened, in places like Felton, Warra and Kingaroy? And what value is given to the areas of conservation significance such as Bimblebox Nature Refuge and the Caley Wetlands that are threatened with becoming holes in the ground, or rail corridors? These areas are all subject to planned coal projects and have no effective legislative protection from uncertain futures.

Aside from these direct impacts, the climate change impacts of coal cannot be understated. Globally, coal is the single biggest contributor to climate change, and Queensland coal pumps 490 million tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere each year, equating to 85% of Australia’s domestic emissions.

Over the past two decades, our most prominent scientists have become steadily more vocal, calling for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now we are beginning to see first-hand affects such as decade after decade of record global temperatures, the steady decline of Arctic sea ice and the gradual inundation of our low-lying pacific island neighbours. The risk of passing tipping points that lead to runaway climate change must be soberly considered. The question we must be asking is no longer how long can we go on expanding our coal industry, but how can we quickly rein it in, while protecting the happiness and well-being of all Queenslanders.

Resistance

Resistance to the coal industry is growing, both in the climate concerned cities, and regional areas experiencing direct impacts.

Farmers’ opposition to coal mining has become a high profile issue in southern Queensland and in the Liverpool plains of New South Wales, farmers have even successfully blockaded their properties, delaying a proposed coal mine since July 2008. In urban centres nationally, coal has become a focus or many climate-oriented organisations and community groups. For the last three years the Newcastle community has turned out in kayaks and canoes for annual peaceful coal port blockades, and last October marked the first similar blockade in Brisbane.

At the last state election, climate activists, conservationists and some farming groups joined forces to push the government to begin to restrict coal mining on agricultural land and nature refuges. Reflecting this, the restriction of coal mining, at least on agricultural lands, is policy of both the Greens and the Liberal National party.

While these pockets of resistance give hope that more land and communities can be saved from coal mining, many areas of biodiversity and conservation significance face an uncertain future.

Community groups who seek to protect these areas face a huge challenge and the vast majority of coal projects continue to be approved thanks to the well-funded and politically powerful coal lobby.

In building alliances between the diverse groups impacted by coal, and sharing their stories to engage many more concerned people, community-lead action may prove powerful enough to turn the tide and begin a measured transition to a sustainable future. Transitioning our state away from coal dependence will be a long process, but it is imperative that we start looking in the right direction, right now, by saying “no new coal".