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An Australian environmental lobby on Tuesday dragged the Adani group to a court in Queensland, objecting to the Indian mining entity's $16.5-billion Carmichael mine project in the coal-rich state on the grounds that it would endanger biodiversity.
"Adani's will be the third-biggest coal mine in the world. It will emit more carbon pollution and will warm the world more than any other proposed development," Coast and Country's Derec Davies said on Tuesday after launching a five-week legal action.
"This case will draw on testimonies from water experts, climate and marine scientists, economists and financial experts. Our case will demonstrate that this poses unacceptable risks. We will demonstrate that this dangerous mine should not be approved and that Adani should not be allowed to operate in Queensland," Davies said.
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Covering 280 square kilometres (km), the Carmichael mine would be Australia's largest and it would use a new 300-km rail line to transfer 60 million tonnes of coal a year to foreign markets.
Adani has argued the mine in the frontier Galilee Basin will create thousands of jobs and inject millions of dollars into Queensland's economy, including coal royalties.
Arguing that the mine presented unacceptable climate change dangers and ecological risks, Davies said, "This mine will have a severe impact on the Great Barrier Reef, will threaten the tourism sector in Queensland and will negatively affect the economy. The mine threatens precious water resources and rare biodiversity."
"This mine was given special treatment from the former Queensland government with royalty breaks and funding of its railway. The mining industry had too much power over decisions made by the former government," he said.
Coast and Country is an independent body of lawyers from Environmental Defenders Office Queensland.
