Category: coal

‘Best Managed Reef’ in the World: Australia Disputes UN ‘In Danger’ Recommendation

Australian officials will dispute a recommendation by a China-chaired UN committee that the Great Barrier Reef should be added to a list of “in danger” World Heritage Sites, arguing that the shock decision was politically motivated. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation committee (UNESCO) has said in a draft recommendation the world’s biggest…


NSW to Commit $380 Million for Landmark Renewables Rollout

New South Wales (NSW) has revealed it will be injecting $380 million (US$290 million) to develop its renewable energy arsenal as part of the state’s ambitious transition to net zero by 2050. The investment will reserve a sizable spot in the state’s to-be-announced 2021-22 budget and builds on $110 million (US$84 million) of existing funding…


Australia Ushers in New Oil, Gas Exploration Amid Shortfall Concerns

The Australian Government has opened up 80,000 square kilometres (30,000 square miles) of coastal waters for oil and gas exploration amid a shortage of supplies on the nation’s two key commodities. Industry stakeholders will be expected to bid for exploration rights in a total of 21 areas off the coasts of Western Australia, Victoria, and…


Australia Hails Hydrogen in Partnerships With Germany, Japan Amid G-7 Talks

Australia has locked in separate commitments with Germany and Japan to continue pursuing hydrogen as a potential low emissions technology of the future. As part of talks during the G-7 summit, Australia co-signed the Australia-Germany Hydrogen Accord and built on previous commitments made with Japan to invest in hydrogen initiatives. Hydrogen has been put forward…


Australia Leverages Forrests and Land to Reach Record-Low Emissions

Australia’s carbon emission estimates have fallen to their lowest point in the last 30 years, driven primarily by offsets from the nation’s vast lands and forests. Recently released data has shown that land containing forests and other vegetation—which absorb and store carbon dioxide—have played a critical role in directing Australia’s drop in emissions. The data…


Australia Leverages Forests and Land to Reach Record-Low Emissions

Australia’s carbon emission estimates have fallen to their lowest point in the last 30 years, driven primarily by offsets from the nation’s vast lands and forests. Recently released data has shown that land containing forests and other vegetation—which absorb and store carbon dioxide—have played a critical role in directing Australia’s drop in emissions. The data…


$100M NSW Battery to Support Coal Power Replacement

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced it will be supporting the construction of a new $100 million (US$78 million) battery as part of a plan to substitute electricity generation after the planned closure of the Liddell coal-fired power plant in 2023. The decision comes amid NSW’s recent power grid instability, which saw one of Australia’s largest…


Lack of Reliable Energy Forces NSW Aluminium Smelter to Power Down

In the last month, power shortages caused by a lack of dispatchable energy have forced New South Wales (NSW) Tomago Aluminium smelter to halt operations on several occasions. The smelter is one of Australasia’s largest, contributing $1.5 (US$1.2) billion per year to the Australian economy and producing 25 percent of Australia’s primary aluminium. Tomago was forced…


Australian Labor Party Leader Denies Losing Support of Mining Communities

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions that blue-collar workers have turned their back on the party following a loss in the Upper Hunter byelection. In contrast, fellow Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon, whose federal seat covers a similar area, argued that the sharp decline Labor saw in its primary vote over the weekend should…


Labor Leader Anthony Albanese Denies Blue Collar Votes ‘Collapsing’

Australia’s national Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions that blue-collar workers have turned their backs on the Labor party following a loss in the Upper Hunter byelection over the weekend. This comes as Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon warned that Labor’s primary vote in regions like the Upper Hunter had “collapsed to existential levels” and that…