Author: Jayashree Nandi
Source: The Economic Times [1]
September 21, 2012

"While the coal fiasco is still at the helm in India, environmental groups are now warning Australia of the massive pollution that some of its future projects will create. A Greenpeace report has estimated the total amount of carbon emissions from the Australian coal mines proposed for a new mining region will be around 700 million metric tones per annum (mtpa).

According to the report, Adani and GVK are two Indian companies who plan to set-up mega coal mines in Australia. The report 'Cooking the Climate and Wrecking the Reef' also estimates the coal mines' impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

"Australia has begun the process of approving up to nine new mega mines in the new mining region, the Galilee Basin, five of which would be bigger than any existing coal mine in Australia. If these mines proceed, when they reach maximum production, the emissions from burning the coal would be over 700mtpa of carbon dioxide (CO2). In other words, if the Galilee Basin was a country, it would be the seventh biggest emitter of carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuel burning in the world," said Greenpeace campaigner, Vinuta Gopal."

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