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Statement from Adani Mining on carbon emissions

22 October 2020

This statement can be attributed to an Adani spokesperson:  “We recognise that people have differing opinions on mining thermal coal and the Carmichael Project, however it is important that they have the facts.  “As the world’s number one international solar company and India’s largest private electricity generator, the Adani Group has a unique view of the market and we see there will be a need for both coal and renewables in the energy mix to meet growing energy demand in Asia as people there emerge from poverty.  “Mercom Capital Group, a clean energy communications and research firm, last month named Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) as the world’s largest solar power generation owner based on operational, under construction and awarded projects.  “The climate challenge is one that we must all collectively address across the globe.  “Every company, industry and individual has a responsibility to manage their carbon footprint and reduce it wherever possible in the interests of protecting the environment.  “We have our own plans in place to manage carbon emissions efficiently onsite, from minimizing truck haulage routes, to using solar power at our camp site to power radio communications and dust and water sampling activities.  “The process of mining 10 million tonnes of coal per annum at the Carmichael mine will produce 240,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.  “Adani’s Carmichael mine is a much smaller mine than many others in Queensland and when the coal is used overseas the amount of carbon dioxide that will be produced will represent less than 0.04% of Australia’s emissions and less than 0.0006% of global emissions, which is not enough to have an impact on the Great Barrier Reef.  “Over the past decade activists have unsuccessfully tried to use the Australian legal system to argue that Adani’s Carmichael mine should not be approved because of the emissions created when coal is used to generate electricity overseas and the impact that would have on the Great Barrier Reef.  “The Carmichael Project is one of the most rigorously assessed projects in Australian history, as it was subject to eight years of comprehensive assessment, review and legal challenges.  “The quality of coal from the Carmichael Mine is better than the coal it will replace in the market, meaning it will produce fewer emissions when burnt to produce electricity, which makes it suitable for the new 2 generation coal-fired power plants in India and Asia that are more energy efficient and produce fewer emissions.  “What’s more is if Adani does not provide Queensland’s Carmichael coal to India, other countries’ coal suppliers are ready to fill the gap with coal of a lesser quality in comparison to ours.  “For example, coal could come from Indonesia where coal types have over 28% higher greenhouse gas emissions.  “That means that denying other countries access to superior quality thermal coal like ours will not only disadvantage them environmentally, it will also mean that instead of jobs being created here in Queensland to mine our coal that those jobs will be exported to other countries at the expense of Queenslanders.  “We already have more than 1,500 Queenslanders working on the Carmichael Project now. These jobs could not be more important at a time when people are struggling to get work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Deloitte’s Federal Budget Analysis Report for 2020-21* showed mining investment is on the increase, while most other industries are in recession. We are so proud to be a part of Queensland’s mining industry, supporting people and communities across Queensland at a time when it is needed most.  “It is important to address the realities of climate change, and Adani is demonstrating on a daily basis that this can be done in a measured way that involves both renewables and high-quality thermal coal, while also improving the lives of people living in energy poverty, and ensuring our own nation’s economy does not collapse in the process.”  References  Deloitte’s Federal Budget Analysis Report for 2020-21 - https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/federal-budget/articles/federal-budget.html  (ENDS)  Download PDF...