Australian court rules against coal and climate change

Gray v The Minister for Planning

On 27th November 2006, in an extensive judgment applying two common environmental law concepts in the context of New South Wales’ Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 - inter-generational equity, to require assessment of cumulative impacts; and the precautionary principle, to shift the burden of proof - Justice Pain held that the greenhouse gas impacts of burning coal must be taken into account in the environmental impact assessment of new coal mines.