MEDIA RELEASE
June 12, 2026
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) is disappointed the NSW government has failed to rule out mega-polluting coal mine expansions in its response to a key Net Zero Commission report, leaving the door open to assessment of the biggest expansion in the state’s history.
The NSW Government response to the Net Zero Commission’s Coal Mining Emissions Spotlight Report comes as the massive Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project coal mine expansion proposal is shortly to be determined by the Independent Planning Commission.
Quotes attributable to Jacqui Mills, NCC Senior Climate Campaigner:
“The Hunter Valley Operations proposal, if approved, would wreak havoc on our climate dumping 800 million tonnes of climate pollution.
“Is the NSW government on the side of communities battling worsening floods, droughts and storms, or on the side of the mega polluters?
“Just months after the independent Net Zero Commission said there should be no further coal mine extensions or expansions, the government reiterated that coal mine expansions remain on the table.
“With 18 proposed expansions statewide, more needs to be done to end the era of coal to better protect nature and communities from climate disaster.
“If NSW has any chance at hitting emission reduction targets, and if the Government is serious about protecting us from climate disasters, it must heed the Net Zero Commission’s recommendations and reject all coal mine expansion proposals,” Mills said.
Seeking approval this year is the mammoth Hunter Valley Operations expansion — the biggest coal mine project ever proposed in NSW.
Glencore and Yancoal hope to make over $6 billion from the proposed Hunter Valley Operations expansion alone whilst NSW residents are already $20,000 per year poorer due to climate change.
“Coal companies pocket profit while the public pays the price,” Mills said.
“To continue approving extensions or expansions of coal mines is to undermine the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.
“Guidance for planning authorities needs to be urgently updated so that greenhouse gas emissions and their impacts are adequatelyconsidered in all planning decisions.”
ENDS
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request
Notes
The Net Zero Commission’s latest report on the Economic impacts of Climate Change predicts that the average NSW resident is $20,000 poorer per year because of climate change.
While that figure is shocking, it takes into account the cost of extreme weather events, but doesn’t include the impact on land, water and cultural heritage as a result of coal mining, so in reality, the cost is greater.