<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/13/qld-coalmine-expansion-approved-by-albanese-government-will-clear-habitat-and-fuel-climate-crisis-scientists-say>
"The Albanese government has approved the expansion of a Queensland coalmine
that will clear habitat for threatened koalas and greater gliders and add
further fuel to the climate crisis, conservationists say.
The extension of the Middlemount mine in Queensland’s Bowen Basin – jointly
owned by US company Peabody and China-owned Yancoal – would see about 85m
tonnes of coal exported over 24 years.
Conservationists estimated that burning the coal overseas to make steel or
electricity would release about 236m tonnes of CO₂ over the project’s lifetime
– the equivalent of almost half of Australia’s current annual footprint.
About 81 hectares (200 acres) of greater glider habitat and 183 hectares of
koala habitat was approved for clearing. Company documents show a 1,557 hectare
site has been identified as an area to be secured to “offset” the clearing.
Among a list of conditions imposed by the government designed to limit harm to
threatened species, Middlemount has been asked to identify and then relocate
any tree hollows used by the gliders.
But ecologists said greater gliders – Australia’s largest gliding marsupial –
would probably die because of the clearing and dismissed the plan to relocate
their homes."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
