Verdict due in landmark climate cases against Australia’s Environment Minster and two mining companies

The Federal Court will hand down its ruling in the landmark Living Wonders climate cases in Melbourne tomorrow.

Australia’s Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and two giant coal mining companies are being taken to court over their failure to protect Australia’s living wonders – including the Great Barrier Reef and koalas – from climate harm.

The two proceedings are the first court challenges to a coal or gas decision made by Australia’s current Environment Minister and the outcome of the cases is likely to affect all pending coal and gas decisions on the Minister’s desk.

Since May 2022, the Environment Minister has approved four new or expanded coal mines, despite the world’s leading scientists issuing their ‘final warning’ that there can be no more coal mines from this year.

What: Interview and vision opportunities following the judgment with the Environment Council of Central Queensland and lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia.

Where: Outside the Federal Court, 305 William Street Melbourne

When: Judgement at 2.15pm Wednesday, 11 October 2023

Who:

• President of the Environment Council of Central Queensland, Christine Carlisle
• Elizabeth McKinnon, Co-CEO, Environmental Justice Australia.

For media enquiries, please call Jem Wilson on (03) 8341 3110 or email [email protected]