Glencore’s Hail Creek methane pollution is a wake up call for Federal and Queensland Governments

The Queensland Conservation Council and the Mackay Conservation Group are calling on the Federal and Queensland Government to heed warnings from new methane emissions data from super polluter Glencore’s Hail Creek mine, and reject its proposed expansion. 

The renewed calls come as new data from the UN environment programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory found that methane pollution at the coal mine could be as much as eight times greater than currently reported. 

Methane is 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term, and is responsible for at least one third of global temperature rise to date. 

Glencore is due to submit additional information about their proposed extension of Hail Creek, including greenhouse gas emissions and koala habitat impacts, to the Queensland Government next week, after delaying the request for information several times.

Queensland Conservation Council Energy Analyst, Clare Silcock said

We always knew Glencore’s Hail Creek was a super emitter, and now we know it could be worse than Glencore reports by a factor of eight. This project is a climate disaster that must be pulled into line in order to protect not just Queensland communities, but communities across the continent. 

The Federal Government must replace their out of date methane monitoring and reporting with improved, science-based, accurate measures like those used by the UN to collect this data. Anything less only further undermines the credibility of the Safeguard Mechanism and gives the resources sector a free pass.

The Queensland Government must deliver a strong resources sector decarbonisation plan that accounts for the true scale of methane pollution from coal mines like Hail Creek. This new data shows we can’t afford more climate pollution and the Government must reject Glencore’s plans to extend Hail Creek. 

Tackling methane now means we can slow global heating, and bring faster relief to our communities who are already cleaning up the mess from climate disasters.

Mackay Conservation Group Campaigner, Imogen Lindenberg said

Despite being one of the worst super-polluting coal mines, Glencore is planning to expand the Hail Creek Open Cut coal mine. We are calling on the Queensland Government to refuse this expansion that would lock in more pollution, threaten koala habitat, and worsen climate change.

This new data is another example of how our current environmental laws are inadequate. This proposed expansion is moving forward without a thorough assessment of the project. At the very least, this project must be subject to a full Environmental Impact Statement. The Queensland Government must ensure a thorough assessment of the project and apply stringent conditions to protect koala habitat and prevent methane emissions.

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