Australian court says mine approvals must consider climate harm

(Reuters, 27 May 2021) The ruling comes in response to a class action suit by eight teenagers, who argued the expansion of a coal mine would contribute to climate change.

An Australian court ruled on Thursday that the country's environment minister has an obligation to children to consider the harm caused by climate change as part of her decision-making in approving the expansion of a new coal mine.

The Federal Court of Australia made the ruling in response to a class action suit brought by eight teenagers that argued the expansion of Whitehaven Coal Ltd's Vickery Project in New South Wales (NSW) state would contribute to climate change and endanger their future.

In his ruling, Justice Mordecai Bromberg said that the minister could foresee the possibility of future harm caused to the children in the case by the increase in carbon dioxide emissions from Whitehaven's expansion and therefore must recognise a so-called duty of care, or moral obligation, to the children, when approving it.

Ava Princi, 17, one of the students that brought the suit, said she was "thrilled" by the judgement because it was the first of its kind.

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Reuters, 27 May 2021: Australian court says mine approvals must consider climate harm