An Australian community group has won the first climate change case to come before the country's top court, with judges on Wednesday upholding a decision to block a two-decade extension of a coal mine in the state of New South Wales.
MACH Energy had sought to extend the life of its Mount Pleasant mine, which is due to end operations in December this year, until 2048 and double its coal production. The expansion would have allowed it to extract an additional 406 million tons of coal.
The High Court of Australia, in dismissing the company's appeal with costs, found local authorities failed to properly consider imposing rules to mitigate the project's climate footprint, a ruling advocates say will impact future fossil fuel approval decisions in the state.
The appeal was the first time Australia's highest court had ruled on a climate change case.
