Latest news with #coalmining
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Stockton mine protesters 'selfish', 'irrational': Resources Minister Shane Jones
First published on By Sharon Davis* Resources Minister Shane Jones. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Resources Minister Shane Jones has slammed the two protesters occupying a coal bucket on the aerial ropeway between Stockton and Ngakawau for being selfish and irrational. "I'm horrified that these two saboteurs are not only endangering themselves but impacting the coal mining enterprise," Jones told The News today. "It's incredibly selfish that these people are putting jobs at risk and adding costs to coal operations." The latest protest began on Monday. Yesterday Bathurst Resources announced it was trucking coal from Stockton to Ngakawau because it couldn't use the aerial ropeway. Jones said the fact Bathurst now had to truck coal down the hill meant more emissions. "These protesters are irrational." The protesters wanted to close coal mining in New Zealand, but if that happened coal mining would only increase somewhere else, Jones said. "They want to destroy jobs on the West Coast." But coal-related jobs would increase elsewhere. Two Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters used the aerial rope way down to Ngakawau to access a coal bucket for a sit-in protest. Photo: Supplied Jones said it was important to maintain these jobs and the related export revenue. "I want these industries in New Zealand." He expected to see more protests. "They're going to continually challenge mining. Their agenda is to close them (mines) down. My agenda is to expand them." He drew a parallel between the aerial coal bucket the protesters are occupying and the night carts of old that removed human waste. He wondered what the protesters were doing with their waste. The News understands they are using a composting toilet. Protesters used the aerial ropeway cables as a zip line to access a coal bucket high off the ground. Photo: Supplied Climate Liberation Aotearoa spokesman James Cockle told the newspaper today the protest was still going strong and the protesters were safe and comfortable. "We hope Bathurst will reconsider their fast-track application to mine Denniston," he said. Protester Rach Andrews spoke to The News from a hammock stretched between two coal buckets this afternoon. Rach Andrews on her cellphone in the aerial coal bucket. Photo: Supplied She said a helicopter, not chartered by her group, had flown in to check on them this morning. They were busy drying everything out after the rain and enjoying the sunshine. Andrews said complaining about the carbon emissions from carting coal to Ngakawau was a "bit of a red herring" when the proposed mine on Denniston would produce the equivalent of all New Zealand's emissions for a year. She said any emissions from the extra trucking was insignificant in the grand scheme of things - and Bathurst could stop that at any time by withdrawing its fast-track application. Responding to Jones' allegation that protesters were selfish and irrational, Andrews said mine expansions "for the short-term gain of a few people, at the expense of future generations" was irrational. Ignoring that civilisation was on the brink of collapse from climate change was also irrational, she said. *This story originally appeared in the Westport News.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
New coal mines fell to 10-year low in 2024, but China pipeline risks oversupply, report says
BEIJING, July 28 (Reuters) - New coal mining capacity fell to a 10-year low in 2024, but future projects especially in major producer China still risk oversupply, said a new report from U.S. think tank Global Energy Monitor on Tuesday. New mines opened globally in 2024 can dig up about 105 million tons of coal per year, down 46% from 2023 and the smallest increase in a decade, the report found. That is about 1% of the 8.9 billion tons of global capacity in 2024. Construction plans in top producers China and India slowed in 2024 from previous years, explaining why new capacity fell to a 10-year low, the report said. But the researchers said the slowdown might not continue. "The slowdown likely reflects delays in expansion approvals, the inherently lengthy nature of coal mine development phases, and a potential easing of supply-demand pressure following the pandemic-fuelled surge in capacity additions over the previous two years." In China, coal mine approvals surged in 2022 after a coal and power shortage raised energy security concerns, but then dipped again as shortages turned to oversupply. Despite the drop in 2024, the world is still planning new mines that could produce over 2 billion tons per year of coal. Of the 2.27 billion tons per year in capacity under development, 1.35 million tons are in China, more than the rest of the world combined. If these projects move forward, China could see another round of overcapacity similar to 2012-2025, the researchers said. In 2015, China had to undertake major supply side reforms to shutter excess steel and coal capacity - a period that has come into the spotlight as China's industrial sector again struggles with crushing oversupply. The GEM data spans 850 new mines, expansions and recommission projects, and China, India, Australia, and Russia make up almost 90% of the proposed developments. The 2024 slowdown in new capacity isn't enough to meet global climate targets, which call for significantly cutting instead of adding coal production, the researchers said. Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees would require reducing coal production 75% by 2030 from 2020 levels, according to a UN estimate. One of China's proposed mines, the Changtan surface coal mine in Inner Mongolia, would be one of the world's top mines for emissions of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, GEM said.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters hunker down in aerial coal bucket in the rain
First published on By Sharon Davis * Two Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters used the aerial rope way down to Ngakawau to access a coal bucket for a sit-in protest. Photo: Supplied The two climate change activists hunkered down under tarpaulins in an aerial coal bucket at Stockton say they're in good spirits. On Sunday, Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters used the ropeway cable to access a coal bucket in a remote area high off the ground, effectively stopping coal transport from Stockton down to the rail link at Ngakawau. Their aim is to get Bathurst Resources Limited to withdraw a fast-track application to extend its mining operations on the Stockton and Denniston plateaux. Despite persistent rain today, protester Rach Andrews said they had woken up "pretty dry and cozy" this morning and planned to stay "a bit longer". She said they had created a water-tight shelter, and the fact they were not in a huge space helped to keep them warm. They might not be getting the best night's sleep, but they were getting some sleep. Andrews said police negotiators had been in contact with Climate Liberation Aotearoa's police liaison for a few chats, but she had not had personal contact from the police or the mine staff - and the protest was set to continue. "We're not coming down today. While Bathurst continues to endanger the beautiful life on Denniston there's going to be opposition. We're here to show strong opposition." Andrews said they were eating energy bars and delicious homemade dehydrated meals that she had prepared for the protest. She said the mine had sirens going "the entire time" for the April protest but they hadn't been used for this protest yet. She knew she would be facing legal consequences but was not sure exactly what they entailed. She was among nine protesters charged with trespass following the April protest. Seven of them, including Andrews, have pleaded not guilty. Climate protesters should not have to face criminal charges while the government limited the public's right to give input, Andrews said. "If a charge and having to go to court is the consequence - it's worth taking to reduce the harm for future generations and life on the planet." Andrews said the next protest on 8 August would target at least seven ANZ branches. She said ANZ was the last bank in New Zealand with no plan to move away from servicing businesses involved in fossil fuels. Bathurst Resources chief executive Richard Tacon said the company's primary concern was for the safety of the protesters. Bathurst had become aware of people trespassing on Stockton Mine infrastructure at Ngakawau on Monday and notified the police, WorkSafe, and the Department of Conservation as the landowner, Tacon said. The trespassers had entered the mine illegally and might not be aware of the hazards at the mine. "Bathurst is working with police on the next steps to secure as soon as possible the safety of the trespassers. When we have more information, we will provide an update," he said. Bathurst Resources employs about 675 people in New Zealand and operates mines in the Waikato, the West Coast, and Southland. Stockton mine employs about 350 people plus 75 full-time contractors. It produces high-quality metallurgical coal for export to key steel making customers in Japan, India and South Korea. Bathurst is preparing an environmental assessment for the Buller Plateaux Continuation Project, as part of its application under the Fast Track Approvals Act 2024. If approved the project will extend mining operations at the Stockton mine by another 25 years. *This story originally appeared in the Westport News.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters target Stockton Mine
First published on By Sharon Davis and Ellen Curnow* Protesters used the aerial ropeway cables as a zip line to access a coal bucket high off the ground. Photo: Supplied Climate activists have climbed into a coal bucket on the rope way at Stockton Mine again to protest Bathurst Resources Ltd's fast-track application to extend its mining operations across the Buller plateaux to Denniston. Yesterday afternoon, two Climate Liberation Aotearoa protesters clipped themselves to the ropeway cable and used it like a zipline to access a coal bucket in a remote area high off the ground. This follows a larger protest at Stockton and Denniston in April which ended with at least nine people charged with wilful trespass. Protester Rachel Andrews, from Palmerston North, was among those charged with trespass on 21 April. Speaking to The News from a coal bucket this morning she said they had a good supply of water and food and planned to disrupt the transport of coal from Stockton Mine for as long as possible. Their goal was to have Bathurst withdraw its fast-track application to mine 20 million tonnes of coal on the Denniston Plateau. While there are only two protesters in the coal bucket, she said they were supported by a huge group of people who were against the mine and the fast-track process. "There is huge opposition to this mine, even on the West Coast," she said. Andrews said there were several reasons she was personally motivated to participate. One was the legacy she would leave for future generations. She wanted to be able to tell her four grandchildren that she did everything she could to prevent a climate disaster. "We're in a climate emergency,,, people are dying from climate disasters. We can't afford to burn the coal already out of the ground, let alone mining more." Andrews was also unhappy with the "undemocratic process" under the Fast Track Bill. She said it placed the decision-making process in the hands of a few people who had shown that they didn't care about the environment and were proud to support more mines. Protest was the only way for the public to intervene in the fast-track process, she said. "There is no longer any way for members of the public to voice concerns about proposed projects like this coal mine on kiwi habitat. The New Zealand government has effectively forced communities to take actions like this if we want to be heard." Andrews spent part of the April protest in a "nest in one of pylons" and was trespassed from Stockton. She said a lot of thought had gone into planning an action like this. But any consequences would be worth it, to be able to say she had done everything she could to prevent a disaster for future generations. "I don't take the consequences lightly." Andrews said many organisations were committed to stopping fast-tracked mines and were in it for the long haul. "We will continue doing everything we can to oppose Bathurst Resources' proposed mine ... We will not stand idly by and accept this destruction," she said. The International Court of Justice recently said countries must address the "urgent and existential threat" of climate change by curbing emissions and yet New Zealand was encouraging more mines and more drilling for oil and gas. Andrews said the proposed mine on Denniston would generate at least 53 million tonnes of emissions, close to New Zealand's entire net emissions of 59 million tonnes. "We can't afford to keep destroying the planet," she said. Westport sergeant Georgie Were said police would be negotiating with the protesters to get them to come down. She said they were in a remote location which made communication difficult. The News tried unsuccessfully to contact Bathurst Resources Ltd for comment. During a recent panel discussion on how Buller could transition from coal, Bathurst chief executive Richard Tacon acknowledged the right to protest but said climbing into coal buckets was dangerous. The protesters could have accidentally flicked a lever, flipped the bucket and fallen to their deaths, he said. Locals took to Facebook today in support of the mine and local employment, with some suggesting starting the ropeway or enlisting the fire brigade to point a hose at the protesters to get them to come down. *This story originally appeared in the Westport News.
CTV News
24-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta government settles with Atrum Coal for $142M
Calgary Watch Alberta taxpayers are on the hook for more than $140 million, as the province settled one of five lawsuits filed against it over coal mining policies.
