The Iemma Government yesterday approved the new 10million ton per year Moolarben coal mine in the Hunter Valley. It is a climate disaster. When built, the mine will emit millions of tons of greenhouse pollution, and makes further mockery of this government’s claims to take climate change seriously. (see SMH article)

The new coal mine also shows that neither side of Australian politics is serious about climate change.While Federal liberals do their best at a national and international level to block real action to reduce CO2 emissions, State labor governments approve new climate damaging coal mines and coal fired power stations.

If both levels of Australian government were serious about climate change they would act on the need to quit coal and switch to clean renewable energy.