Queensland farming lobby launches legal challenge against Great Artesian Basin carbon capture trial

Farming and environmental groups say the Great Artesian Basin is at risk of irreversible damage from a carbon capture project Glencore contends is based on robust scientific analysis. Photograph: Brian Cassey

Queensland farming body AgForce has launched legal action against the federal government in a bid to stop liquified carbon dioxide from being pumped into the Great Artesian Basin.

The Carbon Transport and Storage Corporation (CTSCo), a subsidiary of mining giant Glencore, is awaiting state government approval for a pilot scheme to inject Co₂ emitted by a coal-fired power station in southern Queensland into underground water aquifers as part of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project trial.