![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thedialectics.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/abbot-1024x559.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAs one hits the keywords on the internet \u2018Adani in Australia\u2019, various articles pop up on Adani\u2019s mining project in Australia. As one further digs deeper into the topic, various websites pop up named \u2018stopadani.com\u2019, but why are there so many initiatives relating to the role of Adani in Australia? What are Adani’s ambitions with its project in Australia? Keeping these questions in mind we will further in this article attempt to understand the crux of the issue.<\/p>\n
Adani acquired the coal assets within the Galilee Basin in 2010, this was an ambitious move by Adani enterprises in order to develop the Carmichael coal mine<\/b>. Being one of the largest coal mines in the world. The project does not include only the mining project but also includes the construction of a railway line in order to transport the coal to the coast and then onwards to Asia.<\/p>\n
Despite obtaining permissions, Adani\u2019s mining project was stalled due to various reasons resulting in a drastically reduced capacity of the project where initially the capacity projected of the coal mine were 60 million tonnes of coal per year significantly reducing the capacity by 2018 to 10-14 million tonnes a year. There have been various factions that have been actively opposing Adani\u2019s mining project, one of the major concerns being the negative environmental impact of the project.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In 2015 the Mackay Conservation Group sought a judicial review based on the mine\u2019s impact on vulnerable species, similarly the Australian Conservation Foundation initiated the argument that the environmental approval and coal burning were inconsistent with Australia\u2019s obligation to protect the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. Opposition from the Indigenous people had severely slowed down the progress of the project, the Wangan and Jagalingou which are the traditional owners of the land refused to give their consent and rejected the Indigenous Land Use Agreement.\u00a0 Their \u201cAdani, No means No\u201d<\/b> campaign further garnered international support for the cause.<\/p>\n
The farmers in the Galilee Basin joined the resistance protesting against Adani\u2019s unlimited groundwater allocation for the mine which would deplete the aquifers connected to the Great Artesian Basin. There have been constant peaceful blockades and disruptive actions at the mine and along the railway corridor in order to pressure the engineers and construction partners to withdraw from the project. As can be seen, not just locals but international agencies have opposed Adani\u2019s project ever since it was decided, but what does the Adani side think of these obstacles?<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thedialectics.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Carmichael-1024x559.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Carmichael Mine Railway\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\nHow Adani Justifies?<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Chairman of Adani Group Gautam Adani has recently said that India needs to control its narrative or its growth will be criminalised. While recalling his Carmichael mining project in Australia which he alleged was a victim of false narrative by foreign players. As per Gautam Adani, the coal from the Carmichael mine is a better grade coal as compared to the coal found in India.<\/p>\n
The group faced opposition not only from international environmental lobbies but even banks withdrew lending across businesses. But the leader of the Adani group emphasised that despite the setbacks they did not give up as the Carmichael project was never a commercial bet to the group instead it was a commitment in securing India\u2019s energy security and claimed that today the same Carmichael mine fuels cleaner industrial growth in Bharat, while sustaining thousands of livelihoods in Australia.<\/p>\n
The entire thing sounds like a huge fiasco but the question here arises is, did the people achieve what they want? Adani, despite facing various obstacles, finally started mining the thermal coal in late 2021 after almost a decade of stalling the project. According to the Adani group the emissions created by the coal being burned overseas would contribute less than 0.04% of global emissions, but if lower quality of coal is used then the emission produced would increase.<\/p>\n
Although the climate scientists around the world have emphasised the fact that the only way to slow down the pace of global warming and in order to protect places like the Great Barrier Reef is to just completely stop digging into the Earth and burning non-renewable fuels like Oil, Gas and Fuel.<\/p>\n
Initially it had been stated that the mine would create around 10,000 jobs for the Australians a figure that had been previously cited by the former Prime Minister Tony Abott but completely on the contrary in 2019 it was estimated that the number of ongoing operational jobs at the Carmichael mine would be somewhere around 1500.<\/p>\n
This brings us back to one very important question today: whether the economy is more important or climate sustainability. Today with climate change rampantly sweeping across cities and corners around the world, what matters more? Having more facilities and economic growth? Or a stable environment to live in? cases like these once again highlight the fact that people at the lower levels have stood their ground and firmed themselves against various environmentally degrading projects, yet have failed against the capitalistic might of huge conglomerates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
References:<\/p>\n
Adani unit signs deal with Australia’s Caravel Minerals copper project | Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n Threats to the Reef – Great Barrier Reef Foundation – Great Barrier Reef Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n Adani’s Carmichael Coal Mine Controversy Clouds Coal Project in Australia<\/a><\/p>\n Who We Are – Stop Adani<\/a><\/p>\n Adani Mining is now Bravus Mining and Resources | Bravus Mining & Resources<\/a><\/p>\n How Adani Project is Destroying Australian Ecosystem?<\/a><\/p>\n