CANBERRA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — Australia’s highest court on Wednesday upheld a landmark ruling that planning authorities must consider the climate impacts of proposed fossil fuel projects.
The High Court on Wednesday voted to dismiss an appeal brought by coal miner MACH Energy against an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal in the state of New South Wales (NSW).
The appeal court in 2025 ruled unanimously that the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) failed to properly consider local climate effects when it approved Mach Energy’s bid to expand and extend the operating life of its Mount Pleasant coal mine north of Sydney in 2022.
The appeal against the IPC decision was brought by an environmental group led by local residents.
Anita O’Hart, a lead lawyer for the environmental group, said that the decision was historic.
“The implications extend well beyond Mount Pleasant,” she said.
“This ruling will be applied by courts and planning authorities across Australia, and it will be studied internationally as one of the most significant domestic climate law decisions in the world,” she added.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Wednesday’s ruling by the High Court is expected to have nationwide implications for how the approvals process for fossil fuel projects accounts for greenhouse gas emissions and local climate change impacts.
A spokesperson for MACH Energy said the company was disappointed, but accepted the decision and would pursue all available options to ensure the long-term continuity of the Mount Pleasant mine.
The NSW Planning Department in August granted a six-year extension to the operating life of the mine through 2032. ■