Once again, coal and economic interests prevail over nature and wildlife. It is happening these days in Australia where the Queensland government has signed the so called Adani plan for the management of black throated finches. In fact, one of the two state approvals expected by the company to start construction of its colossal coal mine has arrived
Once again the carbon and economic interests prevail over nature and wildlife. It is happening these days in Australia where the Queensland government has signed the so called Adani plan for the management of black-throated finches. In fact, one of the two state approvals expected by the company to start the construction of its colossal has arrived coal mine.
The project of the Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin it is run by the Indian mining billionaire Gautam Adani. In central Queensland, Australia, the huge coal mine is expected to be built at a cost of 11,2 billion euros. When fully operational, it would have a potential life of 26 to 60 years, giving rise to 705 million tons of CO2 every year.
A letter of the Ocean Elders group which includes, among others, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Queen Noor of Jordan, Sir Richard Branson, had already announced that the construction of the mine would risk compromising international efforts to combat climate change.
But not only. Risks to jeopardize the existence of black-throated finches. The location of the Carmichael mine, proposed by Adani, in fact falls into the area where the largest known population in Australia lives.
Il Ministry of the environment in January had hired a group of experts to assess the impact of the construction and now the first green light from the Queensland government, who signed the Finch Management Plan, one of two state approvals the company must have to start construction on the mine. According to authorities, the process was rigorous but critics warn that the approved plan could result in the extinction of the birds.
Lucas Dow, CEO of Adani Mining, said that the approval of the plan was an "important step":
"We are doing all of this so once we have final approvals, we will be able to start work in a few weeks," he said, explaining that the finch conservation plan has undergone "rigorous scientific evaluation."
“Obviously, we considered a number of requirements that the department asked of us,” Dow said.
Scientists have questioned whether Adani's plan will work. In fact, he plans to conserve the vegetation that the species feeds on in the lands next to the Carmichael site. But the proposed area has few finch populations, unlike the mine site, which has several.
“He has had the opportunity to live there for 10.000 years. This project will significantly increase the finch's risk of extinction, ”said Brendan Wintle, professor of conservation ecology at the University of Melbourne.
For its part, the company has agreed to plan protocols for monitoring finch populations over time in order to protect the animal.
The Australian Conservation Foundation is not so optimistic that the approval of the plan could result in the extinction of the species.
Unfortunately, even if Adani still lacks the final green light, the fate of these animals now seems to be sealed.
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Francesca Mancuso
