Australia’s new government announced recently that it plans to prevent development of a coal mine due to the possible effects on the nearby Great Barrier Reef.Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she plans to deny approval for the Central Queensland Coal Project.The minority Greens party has been asking the center-left Labor Party government, which was elected in May, to refuse approvals of coal and gas projects.The goal is to help reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.Plibersek said in a statement, “Based on the information available to me at this stage, I believe that the project would be likely to have unacceptable impacts to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and the values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and National Heritage Place.”The mine’s supporters have until the middle of August to answer the proposed refusal before the minister makes her final decision.The Greens welcomed the news and urged the minister to reject another 26 planned coal mines.Greens leader Adam Bandt said in a statement, “Now we need an across-the-board moratorium on all new coal and gas projects.”
