Latest news with #ElaineJohnson
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Court overturns massive coal mine approval on climate grounds
A court has overturned the 2022 approval of a massive Hunter Valley coal mine in a landmark ruling that sets a clear precedent that planning authorities must consider the local impact of global climate change. The decision by the full bench of the NSW Court of Appeal invalidates the permission for Indonesian company MACH Energy to extend the Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook for another 22 years after its current approval expires in 2026. The project would generate emissions equivalent to 876 megatonnes of carbon dioxide, planning documents say, and about 98 per cent of that would be from customers burning the coal overseas. Elaine Johnson, the environmental lawyer for Denman, Aberdeen, Muswellbrook and Scone Healthy Environment Group, said it was a 'significant decision for climate change considerations on new and expanded fossil fuel projects in NSW'. 'The fact that the emissions will be generated overseas does not make any difference to the mandatory duty of the NSW Independent Planning Commission to look at what the likely impacts of this coal mine expansion will be on the local community and the people in the environment of NSW,' Johnson said. 'This covers all projects, not just this particular mine – it is, of course, highly relevant to any applications for fossil fuel projects in NSW.' Anti-fossil fuels group Lock the Gate says there are 18 coal proposals at various stages in the NSW planning system. The court found that the Independent Planning Commission must consider the causal link between the project's scope-three emissions and climate change, and the effect that would have on the locality of the Mount Pleasant mine.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Court overturns massive coal mine approval on climate grounds
A court has overturned the 2022 approval of a massive Hunter Valley coal mine in a landmark ruling that sets a clear precedent that planning authorities must consider the local impact of global climate change. The decision by the full bench of the NSW Court of Appeal invalidates the permission for Indonesian company MACH Energy to extend the Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook for another 22 years after its current approval expires in 2026. The project would generate emissions equivalent to 876 megatonnes of carbon dioxide, planning documents say, and about 98 per cent of that would be from customers burning the coal overseas. Elaine Johnson, the environmental lawyer for Denman, Aberdeen, Muswellbrook and Scone Healthy Environment Group, said it was a 'significant decision for climate change considerations on new and expanded fossil fuel projects in NSW'. 'The fact that the emissions will be generated overseas does not make any difference to the mandatory duty of the NSW Independent Planning Commission to look at what the likely impacts of this coal mine expansion will be on the local community and the people in the environment of NSW,' Johnson said. 'This covers all projects, not just this particular mine – it is, of course, highly relevant to any applications for fossil fuel projects in NSW.' Anti-fossil fuels group Lock the Gate says there are 18 coal proposals at various stages in the NSW planning system. The court found that the Independent Planning Commission must consider the causal link between the project's scope-three emissions and climate change, and the effect that would have on the locality of the Mount Pleasant mine.
West Australian
6 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Coal mine stalled in 'groundbreaking' climate decision
A controversial coal mine expansion has hit a stumbling block after a court found possible climate change harms had not been fully considered, a ruling that could have implications for other fossil fuel projects. A community environment group from the NSW Hunter region successfully challenged an Independent Planning Commission decision to allow the expansion of the Mount Pleasant open-cut mine, near Muswellbrook. Operator MACH Energy applied to deepen the mine and double its output, extending its life for 22 years to enable the extraction of an additional 406 megatonnes of coal. The commission consented to the expansion in September 2022 and a judicial review brought by the community group was dismissed by the Land and Environment Court two years later. Denman Aberdeen Muswellbrook Scone Healthy Environment Group took its fight to the Court of Appeal, arguing the environment court had erred and the commission failed to consider the likely climate effects in the region. The Court of Appeal on Thursday found the commission had accepted the project's emissions would contribute to global climate change, but there was nothing in its reasons to indicate it had considered the local impacts. The commission's consent referred to Australia's obligations under the Paris Agreement, noting that the mine's emissions would be "accounted for" in the countries where the coal was burnt. "The commission's obligation to consider the likely impacts of the development on the natural and built environment in the locality of the mine ... required it to address the potentially adverse effects of climate change in the locality," the judgment said. "This obligation could not be discharged by general references to the effects of global warming on the planet generally." Environmental lawyer Elaine Johnson, the director of the firm that represented the community group, said the court's decision was groundbreaking. "The NSW Court of Appeal has just confirmed that the local impacts of climate change on communities are a direct consequence of continued fossil fuel production in NSW," Ms Johnson said in a statement. "From today, climate harm must be specifically considered when deciding proposals for fossil fuel expansions." NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson also said it was a significant legal breakthrough. "With this decision, the government must now reckon with the fact that they have a responsibility to the whole planet when it comes to allowing more coal to be dug up and burnt," Ms Higginson said. "The status quo of setting emissions reduction targets domestically and then exporting the climate crisis is now broken with this decision." The case will be returned to the Land and Environment Court to consider and MACH Energy was ordered to pay the costs of the appeal. The company was contacted for comment.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Coal mine stalled in 'groundbreaking' climate decision
A controversial coal mine expansion has hit a stumbling block after a court found possible climate change harms had not been fully considered, a ruling that could have implications for other fossil fuel projects. A community environment group from the NSW Hunter region successfully challenged an Independent Planning Commission decision to allow the expansion of the Mount Pleasant open-cut mine, near Muswellbrook. Operator MACH Energy applied to deepen the mine and double its output, extending its life for 22 years to enable the extraction of an additional 406 megatonnes of coal. The commission consented to the expansion in September 2022 and a judicial review brought by the community group was dismissed by the Land and Environment Court two years later. Denman Aberdeen Muswellbrook Scone Healthy Environment Group took its fight to the Court of Appeal, arguing the environment court had erred and the commission failed to consider the likely climate effects in the region. The Court of Appeal on Thursday found the commission had accepted the project's emissions would contribute to global climate change, but there was nothing in its reasons to indicate it had considered the local impacts. The commission's consent referred to Australia's obligations under the Paris Agreement, noting that the mine's emissions would be "accounted for" in the countries where the coal was burnt. "The commission's obligation to consider the likely impacts of the development on the natural and built environment in the locality of the mine ... required it to address the potentially adverse effects of climate change in the locality," the judgment said. "This obligation could not be discharged by general references to the effects of global warming on the planet generally." Environmental lawyer Elaine Johnson, the director of the firm that represented the community group, said the court's decision was groundbreaking. "The NSW Court of Appeal has just confirmed that the local impacts of climate change on communities are a direct consequence of continued fossil fuel production in NSW," Ms Johnson said in a statement. "From today, climate harm must be specifically considered when deciding proposals for fossil fuel expansions." NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson also said it was a significant legal breakthrough. "With this decision, the government must now reckon with the fact that they have a responsibility to the whole planet when it comes to allowing more coal to be dug up and burnt," Ms Higginson said. "The status quo of setting emissions reduction targets domestically and then exporting the climate crisis is now broken with this decision." The case will be returned to the Land and Environment Court to consider and MACH Energy was ordered to pay the costs of the appeal. The company was contacted for comment.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
This California city tops list of most expensive US rental markets for third year in a row; renters need 4 jobs to afford a home; here's why
Santa Cruz in California remains the most expensive rental market in the United States for the third year in a row. This city requires a person to have an overwhelming income of more than $168,000 just to rent a two-bedroom, according to Fox Business. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition's 2025 Out of Reach report suggests that in the Santa Cruz area, located on the Central Coast about 75 miles south of San Francisco, the hourly pay needed to afford a modest two-bedroom has risen from $63.33 in 2023 to $81.21 in 2025. This is almost 30% higher than it was in 2023, when they first reached the top of the list. The data shown in the report signifies that a person planning to rent a house must now earn $168,920 a year, or $4,223 a month, to afford a two-bedroom at fair market rent in the metro area. According to Fox Business, California has a minimum wage of $16.50; that's the equivalent of working 4.9 full-time jobs. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Digital Marketing Degree Cybersecurity Public Policy Artificial Intelligence Management MCA Data Science Technology PGDM Data Analytics Data Science Design Thinking others Finance Operations Management Leadership Healthcare MBA Project Management healthcare Product Management Others CXO Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategy Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Social Media Marketing & Advertising Data Analytics & Measurement Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Average renter earns $22.13 an hour in California by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eine zielgerichtete Strategie für Ihre finanzielle Zukunft eToro Click Here Undo The new report says most renters can't afford it. In Santa Cruz County, the average renter makes $22.13 per hour. To pay for an apartment, they'd need to work about 3.7 full-time jobs. "This is a No. 1 we don't want to be," said Elaine Johnson, executive director of Housing Santa Cruz County, to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "This is an all-hands-on-deck kind of time for everyone involved." The Out of Reach report also reveals that California dominates affordability rankings. The Golden State has eight of the ten most expensive metro areas, including San Jose, San Francisco, Salinas, and Santa Barbara. Statewide, the average housing wage for a two-bedroom apartment is nearly $50 per hour, which is the highest of any U.S. state. Live Events Considering the current minimum wage, a full-time California worker would need to work 120 hours a week to afford the average two-bedroom apartment. "Nowhere in the United States—no state, metropolitan area, or county—can a full-time minimum-wage worker afford a modest two-bedroom rental home," according to the report. Regulations and supply shortages make California housing market expensive The Out of Reach report says that the problem is a severe and persistent supply shortage, estimating a national gap of 7.1 million affordable rental homes for extremely low-income or 'ELI' households. According to critics, California's housing market is also hindered by overlapping layers of regulation. "CEQA[California Environmental Quality Act] and restrictive zoning regulations are key contributors to California's housing shortage," said Dr. Wayne Winegarden, senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute. "Prevailing wage mandates coupled with expensive environmental mandates... further inflate housing costs." Santa Cruz County Republican Party Chair Mike Lelieur told FOX Business the affordability crisis is a direct result of decades of progressive policy. "The local planning department has made it so outrageously expensive to build that it's just not profitable unless you're backed by a big corporate developer," Lelieur said. "Then you add CEQA, coastal commission reviews, endless permit delays, and greenbelt restrictions. It's a bureaucratic blockade by design." He also criticized the University of California, Santa Cruz, for expanding its student population faster than it builds housing. "UCSC keeps expanding, but they're not building dorms fast enough. So students flood the local market and landlords jack up rents — because mom and dad are paying the bill," he said. "This is a housing crisis created by policy," Lelieur said. "And unless we change course, it's only going to get worse."
