Australia needs climate trigger laws, conservation groups say after failed challenge to coalmines

A judgment delivered by Justice Shaun McElwaine found environment minister Tanya Plibersek had not acted outside of her obligations in moving two coalmine expansions to the next stage of assessment. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Conservation groups say Australia’s environment laws must be changed to include a climate trigger after the federal court dismissed a legal challenge against the environment minister’s decisions on two proposed coalmine expansions.

Known as the living wonders case, the legal action launched by the Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) alleged the minister, Tanya Plibersek, failed to protect the environment from climate harm when she decided the projects could move to the next stage of the federal assessment process.