NSW Approves Coal Mine Extension Until 2030 Net Zero Target Kicks In

NSW has approved an extension of the Chain Valley and Mannering mines until 2029.

Coal operations at the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia on Nov. 18. 2015. William West/AFP via Getty Images

An underground coal mine on the southern shores of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales (NSW) has been given a two-year extension on its operations by the state government on the basis that it won’t affect its net zero ambitions.

Australia’s most populous state is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from its 2005 figures by June 30, 2030. The next benchmark is 70 percent by 2035, and net zero by 2050.