Lobby group Coal Australia has called a group of local farmers and their families in Central Queensland "intolerable" for trying to protect their town from a nearby coal mine expansion.

New Hope's mine, which sits 100m away from the town of New Acland, has forced many families to leave their homes due to the intolerable air and noise pollution.

This week, Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) - a group of local farmers from the area - made the difficult decision to withdraw their appeal against New Hope's water licence, marking the end of over a decade in legal battles against the corporation that spent over $100 million to defeat the local farmers.

Conservationists have pushed back on efforts by the timber industry to shut down development of a national scheme that seeks to properly value native forests’ contribution to emissions reduction, saying "all options need to be on the table" to preserve threatened species.

After decades of decimation from logging, Queensland's state forests need a suite of urgent policy responses to see forests recover and provide more habitat for greater gliders and other arboreal mammals. Under current conditions, greater glider populations in Queensland state forests are predicted to decline up to 70% due to continued logging.

The developing federal scheme could see state forests generating income for regional communities via carbon credits, while continuing to provide important environmental, economic and social benefits through tourism and recreation.

A recent report by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) shows Queensland's world-leading uptake of rooftop solar is expected to continue to soar to 2030 and beyond.

Under the most likely scenario modelled in the report, AEMO expects Queensland's rooftop solar to grow by 50% and distributed storage to grow by a staggering 500% by 2030.

Rural Queenslanders are currently the state's leading solar supporters, with Energy Minister David Janetzki's own electorate of Toowoomba being among the top three biggest solar hotspots in Queensland, generating as much energy as a solar farm from their rooftop solar.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has approved four new coal mine projects, including the controversial Vulcan South coal mine in Queensland which is currently under criminal investigation.

Vulcan South, owned by Vitrinite, is under federal investigation for allegedly clearing 47 hectares of protected koala habitat and mining coal without approval—serious allegations that could violate the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. These alleged breaches carry potential penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines exceeding $657,300.

The four projects, which also include Caval Ridge (Qld), Lake Vermont Meadowbrook (Qld) and Boggabri (NSW) - will emit more than 880 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, escalating the climate crisis at a time when flooding rains and heatwaves are impacting the state.

A new report by the Queensland Audit Office (PDF 1.9mb) has found the State's average wholesale electricity price decreased by a significant 39 percent, or $57 per megawatt hour, over the last financial year.

This decrease is more than the national average decrease of 36.2 percent. The report credits increased renewable energy generation and the Federal Government’s cap on coal prices as key reasons wholesale electricity prices have come down.

The report also highlights that Queensland is currently on track to meet all of its renewable energy targets, including 80% by 2035.

The Federal Coalition's nuclear costings - released today - vastly underestimate the costs, risks and delays that Queenslanders will face in any attempt to build nuclear reactors in the Sunshine State.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's so-called energy plan will leave us waiting 20 years for the first reactors to be built in Australia, at which point we'll be forced to switch off cheap, safe household solar to make room in the grid for toxic nuclear power plants to run.

This is a tactic to delay the rollout of renewables, as Queensland communities like Gladstone are turning to renewables to power the state and remain globally competitive.

A coalition of environment groups are gravely concerned that the City of Gold Coast Council is pushing ahead with a cableway proposal in World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park without First Nations agreement or community consultation, and despite likely “devastating consequences” for threatened species and ecosystems.

Yesterday the council voted to pursue an agreement with the Crisafulli Government over the cableway, which has been opposed for years by residents and conservationists as a threat to the area’s unique natural and cultural values.

Gecko Environment Council, along with Queensland Conservation Council and National Parks Association of Queensland is calling on the project to be scrapped and for the Crisafulli Government to commit to meaningful consultation with local communities before announcing plans for developments in and around protected areas.

Queensland Conservation Council strongly condemns the decision by the Prime Minister not to proceed with Nature Positive legislation before the senate, in spite of reported agreement between the Greens in the Senate and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.

The new Queensland Government’s coal power plant cash splash, the Electricity Maintenance Guarantee, won’t deliver long-term energy reliability, according to the Queensland Conservation Council.

Queenslanders gathered in force today outside a public inquiry at the Hotel Grand Chancellor into nuclear energy generation, demanding an end to nuclear "delay tactics" that block urgent climate action.

With storm season looming and Queensland already feeling the brunt of escalating climate impacts, protesters spoke against nuclear as a dangerous, costly distraction that will halt genuine progress towards climate action.