The National Environmental Protection Agency confirmed to Guardian Australia it had approved the BHP<\/a> Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) mine extension to dig a further 55m tonnes of coal between now and 2055.<\/p>\n The approval is the agency\u2019s first green light for a coal project since it began operations on 1 July after being created during reforms to national environment laws last year.<\/p>\n An agency spokesperson said the approval came with \u201cstrict conditions to protect threatened species and water resources\u201d and would limit clearing of habitat for threatened koalas, ornamental snakes and squatter pigeons.<\/p>\n In its application, BMA said it would likely have to clear 9.7 hectares of endangered koala habitat, 14.2 hectares of vulnerable ornamental snake habitat, 39 hectares of habitat of the vulnerable squatter pigeon and 3.1 hectares of threatened Brigalow woodland.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n The agency\u2019s approval said the company must not clear more than 132.5 hectares of ornamental snake habitat, 162 ha of squatter pigeon habitat and 11.5 ha of koala habitat.<\/p>\n At this week\u2019s Pacific Islands Forum<\/a>, Albanese said the meeting\u2019s \u201centry fee for credibility\u201d was \u201ctaking climate change seriously\u201d.<\/p>\n When asked about fossil fuel expansions, Albanese denied leaders of Pacific nations who fear for their country\u2019s future because of rising sea levels had raised objections.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, they don\u2019t do that,\u201d he said<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAustralia is highly regarded when it comes to climate change, and the talking down of Australia does not happen from outside Australia. I\u2019ll make that point.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Pacific leaders have respect for the position that we\u2019ve taken, and they also understand with the transition, because they\u2019re dealing with it as well, that the transition can\u2019t happen overnight, that it requires strategies and policies to be put in place.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben McLeod, a senior adviser at the Climate Council, said burning coal overseas to make steel would release about 120m tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere over the life of the mine. Australia\u2019s current annual emissions are 455m tonnes.<\/p>\n \u201cThis leaves us incredulous,\u201d said McLeod. \u201cThe prime minister said the entry fee for the forum was taking climate change seriously, but then we get this approval of 55 million tonnes of coal. It is hard to see how those two things are compatible.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the approval by the new agency illustrated the government\u2019s reforms to environment laws had not been strong enough in dealing with climate pollution.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788413291_769_2998.jpg\")
<\/p>\n