NSW fossil fuel projects approved since Paris agreement set to release 3bn tonnes of emissions

That was also the month the NSW Coalition government promised to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Schoo said the planning commission was not acting on its duty to make decisions that served the interest of the NSW people. Most of the projects would result in thermal coal being mined into the 2030s and 2040s.

Schoo said a decision last year by the federal court that found the commonwealth environment minister had a duty of care to protect children from the climate crisis when exercising approval powers should be seen as a precedent for the state planning commission and other government decision makers.

The NSW approvals are consistent with other decisions to continue to approve and support fossil fuel projects across the country, although the federal government and both Coalition and Labor state governments have promised to reach net zero emissions by mid-century.

Australia last year had more than 100 fossil fuel developments at various stages of development. An analysis found they could result in nearly 1.7bn tonnes of greenhouse gases a year, equivalent to about 5% of global industrial emissions, if all went ahead.