The Australian coal industry is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and to continuously improve its environmental performance.
In the mining of coal, the industry is committed to minimise its impact on all aspects of the environment - visual landform, air and water quality, noise levels, native flora and fauna, soil conditions, and historic and archeological sites.
Continuous improvements in technology have dramatically reduced or eliminated many of the environmental impacts traditionally associated with the use of coal in the vital electricity generation and steelmaking industries.
With regard to climate change, one of the most promising long term solutions for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions is carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. It involves capturing CO2 from large, stationary sources such as coal-fired power plants, compressing it for transport to an injection site, and then storing it safely and permanently deep underground.
The ACA is continuing to support the research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of CCS technology primarily through its $1 billion+ COAL21 Fund.
For more information on CCS technology, visit www.newgencoal.com.au.