THE Federal Government plan to expand rail tracks between coalmines and the coal loader at Port Waratah will have a massive impact on carbon emissions, Greenpeace says.
The environmental organisation says massive emissions reduction targets are needed to counter plans to expand coal exports in Newcastle.
The Federal Government has announced $580 million in funding to expand rail tracks to allow more coal to be delivered to, and shipped from, what is already the world's largest coal port.
Greenpeace says reductions targets, to be released today, will need to be set at 50 per cent by 2015 to counter the extra pollution.
"Even if the Government sets a target of 25 per cent by 2020, the Newcastle expansion would still cancel this target twice over," Greenpeace campaigner John Hepburn said.
As well as emissions targets, the Federal Government will release the final details of its emissions trading scheme today.
Mr Hepburn predicted it would be little more than "a placebo designed to soothe public concern" and do little to cut emissions.
The expansion would allow 200 million tonnes of coal to be shipped from Newcastle annually.
"Australia has been whinging about not wanting to set strong emission reduction targets until China and other nations do, meanwhile we're trying to keep them hooked on cheap coal," he said. with AAP
Email a friend