Coal and gas expansions exploit emissions loophole, risking extra 4.5 Mt CO₂ annually
Coal and gas mines are expanding under existing-facility rules, avoiding stricter emissions limits and could add about 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ each year by 2035, the Climate Council warns.
The Climate Council has highlighted a loophole allowing coal and gas mines to expand while sidestepping the stricter emissions standards applied to brand-new projects. Under the Safeguard Mechanism, existing facilities can increase output without meeting “best-practice” limits, which could generate an additional 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2035. Reputex modelling of 22 planned expansions suggests emissions could be eleven times higher than if those projects were treated as new.
The council points to a recent approval for Yancoal and Glencore to extend a Hunter Valley open-cut mine into the 2040s, a $2.7 billion investment that would add 809 megatonnes of CO₂—about 60 % more than a new-mine benchmark. While the Minerals Council of Australia wants the Safeguard Mechanism retained, the coalition government has pledged to scrap it, prompting a review due next year on whether to tighten the emissions trajectory toward net-zero by 2050.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen’s office says the review is ongoing and no decisions have been made yet. The council urges that “best-practice” limits apply to all expansions to prevent further climate impact.
Why it matters
Expanding mines without stricter limits could significantly increase Australia’s carbon emissions, hindering climate goals.
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