From the Editor jodie currie
I
f the theme of 2020 was challenge, the theme of 2021 for our industry is consistency - making continual steps in the right direction for a profitable future.
Reading the articles from this year’s contributors made one thing clear: our industry is finally taking up the call to ‘get loud’ on the importance of coal and the integral part it plays in our future renewables targets and all. With the Glasgow COP26 conference wrapping up just weeks before this Yearbook goes to print, I am pleased to see a lastminute wording change to the global commitment to ‘phase down’ coal rather than ‘phase out’. Just a quick browse through the content of this Yearbook makes a compelling argument for the necessity of coal, both now and into the future particularly Queensland coal. The fact that can’t be denied is the quality of the coal from our Queensland deposits. It’s some of the lowest-ash, highest-yield coal in the world, and the safety and quality controls under which we mine are excellent by global standards. 4
BBMC Yearbook 2021
Kestrel’s Shane Hansen (page 33) points out some excellent facts on metallurgical coal’s key role in decarbonisation and net zero targets. Continuing coal mining in Queensland for a long time to come really is a no-brainer. There are plenty of ways to meet climate change targets without ruining our economy or regional communities. And when it comes to alternative energy sources, we’re exceptionally well-placed too. As Mike Kaiser says in his article (page 25) - the way to alleviate climate change is to actually increase mining. Our metallurgical coal is key to wind turbines and solar panels, and our new economy minerals are essential to battery production. This begs the question - do activists really want us to cut emissions, or is the real end game to actually stop mining? This puts a different perspective on the future of our industry - and this year’s contribution from the World Coal Organisation CEO, Michelle Manook (page 9), is an excellently thoughtout piece about raising the ‘Coal IQ’ and keeping economies in forward motion. Economics aside, the overwhelming theme of this year’s content is ESG - in operations, planning and even in mine closure discussions. There’s simply no denying the importance of ESG as a major factor in our industry’s operations, and there’s no wonder that environment and social concerns were named as the biggest risk to mining and metals companies by Ernst & Young in their October report for the first time.
