Adani’s Carmichael mine carbon emission levels to be twice as much as Tokyo’s

Research calculating the impact the Adani Carmichael mine would have on the environment has found that the level of annual carbon emissions by the mining project would be similar, or even more than the emissions of some of the world’s major cities.

The Australia Institute’s data revealed that the Carmichael project would emit double the amount of emissions by Tokyo, Japan, which is more densely populated than Australia, and similar amounts to what has been observed in Malaysia and Austria.

“In addition, if the Carmichael project proceeds, its output of carbon-equivalent will neutralise many of the gains made through the effort of the international community to prevent dangerous global warming, specifically, the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the operating of Carmichael,” the report reads.

The Carmichael coal mine's carbon emission from its operation and production will either have a similar level or exceed the annual emissions of many major cities, including:

• Thrice the average annual emissions of New Delhi;

• Six times that of Amsterdam;

• Double the average annual emissions of Tokyo;

• Around 20 percent more than the average annual emissions of New York City;

• Nearly half of the average annual emissions of Beijing, a city competing with Australia in terms of population.

The Australian Conservation Foundation has initiated legal action against the federal government for approving the mining project again. It questioned the failure of Environment Minister Greg Hunt to consider the climate and environmental impact of Adani’s Carmichael mine, especially on the Great Barrier Reef.

Meanwhile, Hunt insists that the project has been approved with the law in mind and that 36 strict conditions have been imposed on the project. The conditions include groundwater monitoring, funding research for the Galilee Basin conservation and protection of fauna.

Hunt recently told ABC's "Insiders" that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has a "very clear, strong, passionate view about climate change and reducing emissions," as reported by Mercury.

The Australia Institute’s Chief Economist Richard Denniss launched the research report prior to the Paris Climate Summit. “World leaders are gathering in Paris to figure out how to reduce emissions. One thing that’s become clear to most is that you can’t support action on climate change and also support massive fossil fuel expansion. The two are simply incompatible,” Denniss said.

He urged the Prime Minister to showcase his climate credentials, and consider the project on economic, as well as social and environmental grounds.

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