New Liberty Mutual Local weather Coverage: Coal Mines Owned via Liberty are Nonetheless OK

Visitor essay via Eric Worrall

Liberty Mutual as a part of its new local weather coverage has pulled their assist for the giant Adani Carmichael coal challenge, however has determined to handle assist for a brand new metallurgical coal mine wholly owned via themselves, as it “supplies loads of jobs”.

Liberty Mutual pulls assist for Adani over local weather alternate however pushes forward with its Baralaba South mine

ABC Capricornia / 
By means of Inga Stunzner

US insurance coverage large Liberty Mutual has withdrawn assist for the Adani Carmichael mine after introducing a local weather alternate coverage however is pushing forward with a greenfield coal mine in central Queensland.

The corporate wholly owns the Baralaba South challenge, a proposed open-cut mine on a flood undeniable simply 500 metres from the Dawson River and 120 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton.

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Liberty Mutual Insurance coverage spokesperson Glenn Greenberg mentioned the corporate recognised the danger of local weather alternate to the planet and was once taking motion to cut back carbon emissions. 

“Coal mines are an excessively small a part of our total funding portfolio, and we now have since made the strategic determination over a yr in the past to make no new further direct investments within the trade,” Mr Greenberg mentioned.

It’s proceeding with plans to expand it Baralaba South challenge and submitted its environmental have an effect on remark in January and has been granted an extension till December to make amendments. 

“The Baralaba metallurgical coal mine supplies loads of jobs in rural Queensland, and the environmental have an effect on learn about for the South mine is anticipated to be submitted to the Executive via the tip of the yr,” Mr Greenberg mentioned.

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Paul Stephenson’s circle of relatives has farmed close to Baralaba for a number of generations, and he referred to as Liberty Mutual’s stance “utterly nuts”.

“It’s slightly abnormal for an organization to come back out and say it’s beside the point to insure facets of the Adani Carmichael mine because of local weather alternate, but on the similar time suggest to construct an entire new, 100 in step with cent-owned coal mine in the similar area,” Mr Stephenson mentioned.

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Learn extra: https://www.abc.web.au/information/2020-06-30/liberty-mutual-pulls-support-from-adani/12389164

I’m happy Liberty’s issues about rural jobs trumps their local weather beliefs, a minimum of after they personal the coal mine.

In all probability the plan is as house owners they are able to make sure all that metallurgical coal from their new mine is used solely for inexperienced tasks, like smelting huge tonnages of metal reinforcing individuals for concrete wind turbine bases.