NSW approves largest coal mine in planning history, extending Hunter Valley operations to 2045

The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission approved the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project, the largest coal mine in its history, allowing mining until 2045. The commission ruled climate impacts are outweighed by economic benefits, a decision climate groups call a 'carbon bomb'. This marks a significant policy deviation in a jurisdiction increasingly focused on climate action, signaling potential regulatory and investment implications for Australian coal.