In a positive development for the environment, the Australian government has rejected a proposal for a new coal mine near the Great Barrier Reef. The decision marks the first time a coal mine has been denied under federal environmental laws.
The proposed thermal coal project was set to operate for 20 years and extract 10 million tonnes of coal per year from two open-cut pits, located less than 10km from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek cited the risk of …
