The Environment Court's ruling that climate change could not be taken into account for coal mining resource consents is being appealed by two environmentalist groups opposed to the mining of the Denniston Plateau.
The Forest and Bird Society and the West Coast Environment Network announced today they will lodge the appeal with the High Court.
At a hearing in March, Australian-owned Buller Coal - a subsidiary of Bathurst Resources - and state-owned Solid Energy petitioned the court for a declaration that greenhouse gases from future coal use cannot be used to appeal against resource consents for mining it.
The two environmental groups had lodged a competing application that climate change should be considered in the consents process.
Bathurst plans to develop an open-cast mine on the Denniston Plateau, near Westport, while Solid Energy plans to expand its West Coast operations at Mt William North, part of its larger Stockton mining operation.
Early this month, Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook ruled in favour of the miners. He found regional government should plan for the effects of climate change, but leave regulatory action on it to central government.
The environmentalists will challenge that decision in the High Court.
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Stuff.co.nz
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