Climate Change Report: Submission on Galilee Basin Mine Project 2025

This report is a submission to the Australian Peoples' Tribunal for Community and Nature's Rights from the North Queensland Land Council, addressing climate change concerns related to a hypothetical major mine project in the Galilee Basin, Queensland, in 2025. It examines the impacts of mining on the environment, including erosion, biodiversity loss, and contamination of water resources. The report argues for strict regulatory frameworks and compliance with environmental protection laws, such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), to mitigate the adverse effects of mining on climate change. The submission highlights the importance of adhering to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement 2015, emphasizing the potential irreversible impacts on water resources and the need for environmental impact assessments. The report concludes that Queensland has the most to lose from climate change and advocates for controlling and regulating mining projects to protect human health and the environment.

Running head: CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Letter of Submission
TO,
AUSTRALIAN PEOPLES’ TRIBUNAL FOR COMMUNITY AND NATURE’S RIGHTS
FROM: NORTH QUEENSLAND LAND COUNCIL
DATE:
RE: SUBMISSION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
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Facts
Climate change is considered to be a critical issue since the start of the twenty first
century. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the country Australia has been
experiencing issues relating to weather and climate change and such has been increasing at a
rapid rate. The federal government along with the state governments of the country have given
recognition to such, which are being caused due to the greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate
Change Convention was considered to be agreed in the year 1992 due to the increasing concern
about the climate change. Australia in order to reduce such signed the Kyoto Protocol but it had
not ratified such until the year 2007. The first commitment duration was considered to be from
the year 2008 to that of 2012. They had met with the protocol and exceeded the target of 108 %,
which was for 1990 emissions level by that of the year 2012. The Paris agreement was
considered to replace the Kyoto Protocol. The Paris Agreement is considered to strengthen the
global response to all the threat, which are being posed due to climate change. It is to restrict the
increase of the global average temperature to above pre-industrial levels as these might have

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serious consequences, which might increase the number of the events related to weather. There
are various other aspects of the agreement, which include climate change adaptation and climate
finance. It also tries to promote compliance, which would be done in a manner, which would be
non-adversarial and non-punitive manner. Australia had ratified the Paris Agreement after being
tabled in the Federal Parliament. After consideration from the Parliamentary Joint Standing
Committee on Treaties Australia decided to ratify the Agreement in the year 20161.
Issues
Mining can have major impacts on the environment which are considered to cause
erosion, loss of any biodiversity. It can also cause contamination of soil in groundwater or
surface water which would be due to the chemicals emitted from the mining process. These
processes are also considered to have an effect on the atmosphere which would be due to the
release of carbon and such would cause an impact on the health of the human life as well as the
biodiversity. There have been various instances where the mining has had an effect on the
environment and the public health.
The coalmines, which have been planned in the Galilee Basin, have had impacts on the
water resources, which are situated nearby. Apart from the water impacts the ecological assets
are also considered to be potentially effected due to the additional coal resource development.
These also consists of the potential habitat of the twelve threatened species and other threatened
ecological communities. The assessment of the various environmental and other socioeconomic
impact of the mining activities leads to environmental consequences and the conditions worsen
and degrade the environment. Therefore, these have a huge impact on the environment2.
1 Dimitrov, Radoslav S., "The Paris Agreement On Climate Change: Behind Closed Doors" (2016) 16(3) Global
Environmental Politics
2 Brown, Christopher James, "Social, Economic And Environmental Effects Of Closing Commercial Fisheries To
Enhance Recreational Fishing" (2016) 73 Marine Policy

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Arguments
It can be said that due to the impacts, which might cause an effect in the environment
such projects, need to be approved only under strict conditions and after following strict
regulatory frameworks, which are present to regulate and govern the mine operations. According
to the government of Australia, there are various regulations for the protection of environment
and such are in force. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC
Act)3 is considered to be the primary piece of legislation which helps and permits the
government to provide protection to the environment. It also provides protection form
Australia’s extensive reserves for coal and coal seam gas. According to the analysis the
government has provided that the water resources which are impacted or affected due to coal
mining or other kind of coal or seam gas extraction was considered to be a matter of national
environmental significance. The government of Queensland is considered to consist of two
departments, which are the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, and the
Department of Natural Resources and Mines, which also comprises of the Office of Groundwater
Impact Assessment. It has been seen that the government of Queensland operates through the
department where they have to approve the projects relating to coal and coal seam gas or mining
activities only after getting an environmental impact statement. These are considered to be
assessed under the bilateral agreement with that of the government of Queensland4.
Through an analysis, it can be understood that if the mining project is considered to occur
or take place such would have irreversible impact on the water resources. The developments in
the coal mines might have various environmental water impacts and there are several small
villages where they have water access rights which might face an impact. The farmers and the
3 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
4 Phillips, Jason, "Climate Change And Surface Mining: A Review Of Environment-Human Interactions & Their
Spatial Dynamics" (2016) 74 Applied Geography

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government needs to be given various assurances for environmental protection, which would
decrease the groundwater impact, by the government.
Therefore, it can be stated that the approval of the major mining project needs to be in
compliance, with the regulations, which have been provided by the government. If such were not
done then there would be major consequences and impact on the environment and this in turn
would effect the climate change. As it has been understood in the case of Adani Carmichael
Mine as such mining project along with other projects has caused serious environmental impact.
Thus, compliance is considered to be necessary5.
Therefore, to conclude the submission, it can be stated that Queensland has most to lose
from the climate change as there have been various record breaking heat waves faced by the
public and there have been various other impacts related to it. Thus, in order to approve the
major mining project it should be done in compliance to the regulatory frameworks and
provisions and should be done in accordance to the environmental impact assessment. If such is
not controlled or regulated then it would cause severe effects to the human health and the health
of other living species. Thus, the environment protection should be of utmost importance.
5 Towler, Brian et al, "An Overview Of The Coal Seam Gas Developments In Queensland" (2016) 31 Journal of
Natural Gas Science and Engineering

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Bibliography
Books, Articles, Journals
Brown, Christopher James, "Social, Economic And Environmental Effects Of Closing
Commercial Fisheries To Enhance Recreational Fishing" (2016) 73 Marine Policy
Dimitrov, Radoslav S., "The Paris Agreement On Climate Change: Behind Closed Doors"
(2016) 16(3) Global Environmental Politics
Phillips, Jason, "Climate Change And Surface Mining: A Review Of Environment-Human
Interactions & Their Spatial Dynamics" (2016) 74 Applied Geography
Towler, Brian et al, "An Overview Of The Coal Seam Gas Developments In Queensland" (2016)
31 Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering
Legislation
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)