Australia's COP31 Presidency Criticized for Approving New Coal Project
Australia, a co-host of the upcoming COP31 climate summit, is facing criticism for approving a new coal project, the Queensland Saraji mine, which is slated to operate until 2055. This decision has been highlighted by Andreas Sieber on LinkedIn, who describes it as a 'betrayal' of Australia's Pacific neighbors. The approval marks the 37th fossil fuel expansion project greenlighted under the current Australian government. This development comes despite Prime Minister Albanese's recent denial, during a visit to the Pacific Island Leaders Forum, that Australia's fossil fuel extraction poses an issue for its Pacific members. The approval was also the first for Australia's new national agency for environmental protection, which began operations in July, and it is expected to affect protected habitats. 
