Australia top court puts fossil fuel developers on notice

Australia’s highest court has just delivered its first-ever decision in a climate case. And it could sour the economic argument for developing new coal and gas projects in New South Wales, and possibly Australia. This High Court judgement is timely – Australia is co-hosting an international pre-COP31 climate summit in the Pacific this week and is facing renewed pressure from Pacific leaders over fossil fuel projects. The court’s decision on Wednesday – in a case brought by a community group against mining company MACH Energy over a coalmine expansion – is not a unified legal declaration against fossil fuels. But this restrained, technical judgement quietly sets a new standard for coal and gas projects in the state – and potentially across the country. It means planning authorities must consider the whole carbon footprint of these projects, including the emissions produced by customers burning these fossil fuels overseas.