Top Posts
African climate change projects secure major funding
Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...
NDDC, FOSDO launch tree-planting campaign to address climate...
WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...
New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...
Lagos to Host 2025 International Climate Change Summit
New study shows overheating world will add 57...
NAICOM urges W’African insurers to invest in climate...
Climate change: Nigeria, development partners launch Net Zero...
Nigeria launches net zero project to fight climate...
EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World
World

(World) (Appeal Court, Australia) Australia: Court overtones landmark youth-focused climate change ruling

by admineconai March 17, 2022
written by admineconai March 17, 2022
1.1K

An Australian appeals court has overturned a ground-breaking ruling that the country’s environment minister had a duty to protect younger people against climate change.

Three Federal Court judges on Tuesday ruled for several reasons that the court should not impose on Environment Minister Sussan Ley a duty of care.

It will be recalled that eight Australian teenagers took Ley to court in 2020 in a bid to prevent her from approving the expansion of a coal mine.

Although they lost their attempt to stop the Vickery mine’s expansion in the state of New South Wales, their lawyers claimed victory from the judge’s ruling last year that Ley had a duty to prevent future climate harm.

In the ruling on Tuesday, Justice Mordy Bromberg noted that the expansion of the Whitehaven Coal-owned mine would lead to an additional 33 million metric tons (36 million U.S. tons) of coal being extracted over 25 years and 100 million metric tons (110 million U.S. tons) of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

Read also: Climate Change: UN adopts resolution promoting bicycles

In siding with Ley’s appeal, Chief Justice James Allsop and Justices Jonathan Beach and Michael Wheelahan ruled for a variety of reasons that the court should not impose on Ley a duty of care in considering the mine’s extension.

While noting that Ley argued that some of Bromberg’s findings were incorrect and reached beyond the evidence, the appeals judges said that the Court is unanimous of the view that these complaints are unfounded.

Responding, one of the activists, Anjali Sharma, said floods described as a one-in-500-year event that have devastated communities in northern New South Wales in recent weeks were proof that the government needed to act on climate change.

“The Federal Court today may have accepted the minister’s legal arguments over ours, but that does not change the minister’s moral obligation to take action on climate change and to protect young people from the harms that will bring,” Sharma said.

The lawyers for the plaintiffs are expected to appeal to the High Court.

Story was adapted from NBC News.

Climate changeCourtRuling
0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
admineconai

previous post
Climate Change: UN adopts resolution promoting bicycles
next post
Washington State University organises Hackathon for ideas on climate change

Related Posts

Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...

October 22, 2025

WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...

October 20, 2025

New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...

October 20, 2025

New study shows overheating world will add 57...

October 16, 2025

Heaviest monsoon in a decade kills 458 people...

October 9, 2025

Council releases first fully electric bin lorry

October 9, 2025

Study shows US asthma inhalers produce same emissions...

October 7, 2025

Pope Leo hits out at climate change critics

October 3, 2025

Protesters seek $5tr payment from fossil fuel companies

October 1, 2025

UN official says climate change displaces up to...

September 30, 2025

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Bloglovin
  • Vimeo

@2021 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Eco-Nai+

EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World