Despite the protests for climate action, despite the fact that coal mining is ruining our planet and endangering our collective future, the Adani mine has just been granted approval to start building.
The new mine is to be built in central Queensland. As reported by the ABC, construction will begin in a matter of days. I have never felt so disappointed and outraged in my life.
The green light for Adani’s construction to begin is devastating for a number of reasons, the most obvious one being the crippling fear for the survival of our planet.
BREAKING: Adani just bullied the QLD Gov to fast-track approval of their dodgy water plan against scientists’ advice. Adani don’t have the approval of the vast majority of Australians who oppose this planet-cooking coal mine. People power will #StopAdani. https://t.co/vICEubxjZL
— Stop Adani (@stopadani) June 13, 2019
How Could They Approve The Adani Mine?
The QLD Government gave Adani the green light despite concerns from actual experts that the mine would destroy an ancient spring complex and hurt the Carmichael river. Scientists reckon desert springs will be killed off and be lost under the new construction plan. Like, hydrologists from four different Aussie unis wrote a report saying that Adani’s water science was “severely flawed” and that the springs could dry up. Can we really afford to lose more water right now?
This echoes Professor Warner from Flinders University who told the Australian Associated Press that the mine could result in death for plants and animals that need the springs for survival.
A water policy consultant, Tom Crothers, told ABC radio that, “the Queensland government doesn’t have a clue what’s happening in terms of how underground water is being managed.” He said that the state government had no concept of the true impacts of mining the Galilee basin.
What This Means For Climate Activism
It seems that our government ignoring actual science for profits is a pattern, because it’s been happening way too much. Recently, the envoy for the Great Barrier Reef sided with Adani and refused to acknowledge climate change’s affects on coral bleaching, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.
Our most recent election was referred to as the Climate Election, because climate change activism had been the driving factor of discussion around leadership. Just in March, thousands of students went on strike around Australia, and many more around the world to bring attention to the hellscape our planet is likely to become if we don’t start fixing it.
Sydney town hall #schoolstrike4climate pic.twitter.com/cpG1fAXVbk
— Pallavi Singhal (@pallavisinghal_) March 15, 2019
But you know, coal is harmless, according to Scomo.
The truth of the matter is that climate change isn’t coming – it’s well and truly here. We need to start lowering our carbon emissions and we need to stop polluting our planet, or the end is nigh. We’ve got a deadline of just 12 years to limit the climate catastrophe, according to the UN, and yet here we are approving coal mines for the sake of profits.
Final approval of carbon bomb #Adani in Aust is crime against humanity. @UNFCCC @UNEnvironment @billmckibben @NaomiAKlein #ParisAgreement
— Christine Milne (@ChristineMilne) June 13, 2019
At this point, it’s easy to feel hopeless. After all the protesting and fighting and campaigning, we’re standing in the same spot.
Greta Thunberg, a Swedish schoolgirl/activist at the forefront of climate action has called for a global strike on Thursday 20 September, in protest of the lack of climate action from our leaders.
It’s devastating to see our government throw away the well-being of our planet and our future, and for what? Money is not going to matter when the planet is on fire.
Sources: Twitter @stopadani, @pallavisinghal_, @ChristineMilne, Pexels.
