Business
Adani's coal mine could hurt endangered bird, Australian court hears
Sydney, March 31
The Land Court of the
Australian state of Queensland on Tuesday began hearing a challenge to
Indian infrastructure giant Adani's proposed $16.5-billion Carmichael
coal mine in the Galilee Basin.
The Court has heard that plans to
build Australia's largest coal mine in central Queensland would wipe
out the habitat of the world's most significant population of an
endangered finch, the Australian Associated Press reported.
Opponents argue that the mine's economic benefits have been overstated and the environmental costs will be significant.
The
Carmichael project would be among the largest mines in the world, Saul
Holt, counsel for lobby group Coast and Country, told the court.
"The
harm it will cause includes the likelihood the nationally significant
wetlands of the Doongmabulla Springs, west of the mine, will dry up with
the loss of exceptional ecological values," Holt said.
The project would also impact on the endangered black-throated finch and the threatened waxy cabbage palm, Holt said.
Adani argues that the finch population would only have to travel a short distance to relocate.
But there was little evidence and great uncertainty that the loss of habitat could be offset, Holt said.
"If
this mine goes ahead, there is a high likelihood of species-threatening
harm to the world's most significant population of the endangered
black-throated finch," he said.
Holt said the mine, which is
expected to export at least 50 million tonnes of coal each year, would
make a material contribution to climate change and ocean acidification.
The
Carmichael project to be developed by Adani Mining involves open cut
and underground coal mining in the north Galilee Basin which will
produce 50 million tonnes of thermal coal per year as well as lead to
development of 189 km of new rail infrastructure.
The project has
an estimated 60-year resource value of $300 billion and at full
production is projected to add $2.97 billion to Queensland economy each
year, the Australian government said.