The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has approved the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) Continuation Project, marking the largest coal mine project ever considered by the commission. The decision allows mining activities to continue at the Hunter Valley site near Singleton until 2045, with operations planned at the south mine between 2030 and 2042.
The approval followed an extensive and contentious assessment process that included input from over 10,000 public submissions, climate and environmental groups, unions, and state authorities. The IPC acknowledged the significant greenhouse gas emissions from the project and noted that these emissions would contribute to climate change impacts locally, nationally, and globally. Despite this, the commission determined that the economic benefits—such as sustained employment, local business support, royalties, and tax revenue—outweighed the climate risks.
The commission emphasized that the project would bring economic stability to the Hunter region and facilitate a more gradual transition for workers and communities as the coal industry evolves. However, the planner also required HVO to develop an emissions management plan to ensure coal exports are limited to jurisdictions with emissions policies aligned with the Paris Agreement’s goals.
Glencore and Yancoal, joint owners of HVO, highlighted the mine’s 75-year history and asserted that the project enjoys strong local support, providing jobs for approximately 5,500 workers. The company is currently engaging with the national environmental protection agency for federal environmental approval, which is expected to be finalized by the end of this year.
Climate activists and environmental groups strongly criticized the decision. Georgina Woods, co-national coordinator of the Lock the Gate Alliance, described the ruling as a “catastrophic failure” of New South Wales’ planning system, calling it an “infamous betrayal of the public trust.” Groups such as Rising Tide labeled the approval as the “largest climate policy failure in NSW history,” while the Climate Council referred to the project as a “climate bomb” that would exacerbate climate disasters.
Greg Mullins, a former NSW Fire and Rescue commissioner and Climate Council member, warned of the global consequences of coal exports, noting, “What NSW exports as coal, we import back as bushfires, floods, heatwaves and droughts. Climate harm does not stop at the border, and neither does the responsibility for it.”
The state’s independent Net Zero Commission expressed concern that approving the project could hamper New South Wales’ ability to meet future climate targets. Over its lifespan, the mine is projected to emit approximately 809 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, most of which will result from the coal being burned overseas, predominantly in power plants.
Recent climate science tools cited by experts suggest that the project’s additional global warming could expose nearly half a million people to unprecedented heat, contribute to widespread coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef, and cause significant increases in heat-related deaths in Europe.
Opposition politicians also condemned the approval. Jacqui Mumford, chief executive of the NSW Nature Conservation Council, called the decision Premier Chris Minns’ “biggest climate failure,” highlighting inadequacies in addressing the climate crisis. Greens MP Sue Higginson described the move as an “absolute betrayal of the science” and indicated a potential legal challenge.
In response, HVO framed the approval as a critical milestone that supports regional employment and economic stability. The NSW Minerals Council urged the government to enact legislation to reduce the risk of legal challenges from climate activists opposing coal mining approvals on ideological grounds.