a just transition for queensland - ahri tallon, organising ...€¦ · jobs after coal: a just...
TRANSCRIPT
A just transition for Queensland
November 2015
Published online by the Queensland Conservation Council in partnership with 350org on Wednesday the
18th of November 2015 in Brisbane Queensland
Report Author Ahri Tallon
A very big and special thank you goes to the Coal Action Network Aotearoa for publishing their pioneering
lsquoJobs After Coalrsquo report upon which this report has been adapted The New Zealand report was originally
published May 2014 and was then updated April 2015 Some parts of this report are from the New Zealand
report but have had additional information added Written by Cindy Baxter Jenny Campbell Rachel Eyre
Zella Downing Jeanette Fitzsimons Kristin Gillies Tim Jones and Rosemary Penwarden (Cindy Baxter amp
Zella Downing 2014)
With thanks for input and review to
Kirsten Macey Shanather Wong Kirsty Workman John Ingram Drew Hutton Sean Kelly Nigel Pratt Rocky
Henry Zane Alcorn Patricia Julien Nichola Hungerford Sabrina Chakori Scarlett Squire Amanda Cahill Ian
Daniels Ellie Smith Ellen Roberts Christine Carlisle Moira Williams Gemma Plesman Louise Mattiesson
Abraham OrsquoNeil Daniel Musil David Kerin Jessica Miller Nichola Hungerford and Rod Campbell
Design by Sharon France of Looking Glass Press Pty Ltd
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | i
Contents
Foreword iii
Executive summary iv
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland vi
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy 1Coal in the Queensland economy 1
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry 4
Coal industry jobs and their locations 4
Summary 5
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry 6Drivers of change 6
The international coal price 7
International mining companies 10
The outlook for coal prices 11
The carbon bubble 12
Summary 14
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions 15Introduction 15
Agriculture and aquaculture 16
Tourism and recreational fishing 17
Higher education 18
Bio-industrial products 18
Renewable energy 20
4 Community transitions Global case studies 22La Trobe Valley 23
Banwen 23
Orkney 23
Nord-Pas De Calais 24
Appalachia (Kentucky) 24
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations 25Recommendations 27
Conclusion 32
References 33
ii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding area
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | iii
Foreword
The coal industryrsquos impact on the state of Queensland has had its
peak and is now in decline This makes right now the most important
time to be thinking about not just stopping the industryrsquos destruction
of prime agricultural land but also how we build the alternatives for
regions where coal has become so economically dominant
There are so many opportunities for Queensland to move forward
We have a growing population diverse people and cultures abundant
natural resources that have the potential to be used sustainably and
we are so close to the new epicentre of change in the world in Asia
One finds it hard to imagine how the many social and economic opportunities our state has available
to us can be ignored how some leaders can still be so fixed in their intent to indefinitely expand the
coal mining industry when it is so clear the people of Queensland the people of Australia and the world
wants to move forward
This report is about the people of Queensland taking the initiative to communicate a positive new vision
of what our future economy and the journey to arrive there can look like It is the beginning of a new
chapter in the conversation about coal that has been getting closer and closer to being opened as more
people realise the devastating impacts the industry is having
Most of all this report is about justice not just for the planet but for workers and citizens who have done
nothing wrong to work in the coal industry It is about justice for workers who have been supporting our
economy supporting our towns our clubs and being part of our community Finally it is about justice for
the families in mining communities who deserve the support to help them plan their future beyond coal
It is the government and it is the mining corporations that have allowed these communities to be placed
in an increasingly risky situation However it is the responsibility of all of us to help them out of it and it
is now time to take that responsibility
Drew Hutton
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
Published online by the Queensland Conservation Council in partnership with 350org on Wednesday the
18th of November 2015 in Brisbane Queensland
Report Author Ahri Tallon
A very big and special thank you goes to the Coal Action Network Aotearoa for publishing their pioneering
lsquoJobs After Coalrsquo report upon which this report has been adapted The New Zealand report was originally
published May 2014 and was then updated April 2015 Some parts of this report are from the New Zealand
report but have had additional information added Written by Cindy Baxter Jenny Campbell Rachel Eyre
Zella Downing Jeanette Fitzsimons Kristin Gillies Tim Jones and Rosemary Penwarden (Cindy Baxter amp
Zella Downing 2014)
With thanks for input and review to
Kirsten Macey Shanather Wong Kirsty Workman John Ingram Drew Hutton Sean Kelly Nigel Pratt Rocky
Henry Zane Alcorn Patricia Julien Nichola Hungerford Sabrina Chakori Scarlett Squire Amanda Cahill Ian
Daniels Ellie Smith Ellen Roberts Christine Carlisle Moira Williams Gemma Plesman Louise Mattiesson
Abraham OrsquoNeil Daniel Musil David Kerin Jessica Miller Nichola Hungerford and Rod Campbell
Design by Sharon France of Looking Glass Press Pty Ltd
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | i
Contents
Foreword iii
Executive summary iv
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland vi
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy 1Coal in the Queensland economy 1
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry 4
Coal industry jobs and their locations 4
Summary 5
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry 6Drivers of change 6
The international coal price 7
International mining companies 10
The outlook for coal prices 11
The carbon bubble 12
Summary 14
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions 15Introduction 15
Agriculture and aquaculture 16
Tourism and recreational fishing 17
Higher education 18
Bio-industrial products 18
Renewable energy 20
4 Community transitions Global case studies 22La Trobe Valley 23
Banwen 23
Orkney 23
Nord-Pas De Calais 24
Appalachia (Kentucky) 24
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations 25Recommendations 27
Conclusion 32
References 33
ii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding area
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | iii
Foreword
The coal industryrsquos impact on the state of Queensland has had its
peak and is now in decline This makes right now the most important
time to be thinking about not just stopping the industryrsquos destruction
of prime agricultural land but also how we build the alternatives for
regions where coal has become so economically dominant
There are so many opportunities for Queensland to move forward
We have a growing population diverse people and cultures abundant
natural resources that have the potential to be used sustainably and
we are so close to the new epicentre of change in the world in Asia
One finds it hard to imagine how the many social and economic opportunities our state has available
to us can be ignored how some leaders can still be so fixed in their intent to indefinitely expand the
coal mining industry when it is so clear the people of Queensland the people of Australia and the world
wants to move forward
This report is about the people of Queensland taking the initiative to communicate a positive new vision
of what our future economy and the journey to arrive there can look like It is the beginning of a new
chapter in the conversation about coal that has been getting closer and closer to being opened as more
people realise the devastating impacts the industry is having
Most of all this report is about justice not just for the planet but for workers and citizens who have done
nothing wrong to work in the coal industry It is about justice for workers who have been supporting our
economy supporting our towns our clubs and being part of our community Finally it is about justice for
the families in mining communities who deserve the support to help them plan their future beyond coal
It is the government and it is the mining corporations that have allowed these communities to be placed
in an increasingly risky situation However it is the responsibility of all of us to help them out of it and it
is now time to take that responsibility
Drew Hutton
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | i
Contents
Foreword iii
Executive summary iv
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland vi
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy 1Coal in the Queensland economy 1
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry 4
Coal industry jobs and their locations 4
Summary 5
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry 6Drivers of change 6
The international coal price 7
International mining companies 10
The outlook for coal prices 11
The carbon bubble 12
Summary 14
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions 15Introduction 15
Agriculture and aquaculture 16
Tourism and recreational fishing 17
Higher education 18
Bio-industrial products 18
Renewable energy 20
4 Community transitions Global case studies 22La Trobe Valley 23
Banwen 23
Orkney 23
Nord-Pas De Calais 24
Appalachia (Kentucky) 24
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations 25Recommendations 27
Conclusion 32
References 33
ii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding area
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | iii
Foreword
The coal industryrsquos impact on the state of Queensland has had its
peak and is now in decline This makes right now the most important
time to be thinking about not just stopping the industryrsquos destruction
of prime agricultural land but also how we build the alternatives for
regions where coal has become so economically dominant
There are so many opportunities for Queensland to move forward
We have a growing population diverse people and cultures abundant
natural resources that have the potential to be used sustainably and
we are so close to the new epicentre of change in the world in Asia
One finds it hard to imagine how the many social and economic opportunities our state has available
to us can be ignored how some leaders can still be so fixed in their intent to indefinitely expand the
coal mining industry when it is so clear the people of Queensland the people of Australia and the world
wants to move forward
This report is about the people of Queensland taking the initiative to communicate a positive new vision
of what our future economy and the journey to arrive there can look like It is the beginning of a new
chapter in the conversation about coal that has been getting closer and closer to being opened as more
people realise the devastating impacts the industry is having
Most of all this report is about justice not just for the planet but for workers and citizens who have done
nothing wrong to work in the coal industry It is about justice for workers who have been supporting our
economy supporting our towns our clubs and being part of our community Finally it is about justice for
the families in mining communities who deserve the support to help them plan their future beyond coal
It is the government and it is the mining corporations that have allowed these communities to be placed
in an increasingly risky situation However it is the responsibility of all of us to help them out of it and it
is now time to take that responsibility
Drew Hutton
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
ii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding area
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | iii
Foreword
The coal industryrsquos impact on the state of Queensland has had its
peak and is now in decline This makes right now the most important
time to be thinking about not just stopping the industryrsquos destruction
of prime agricultural land but also how we build the alternatives for
regions where coal has become so economically dominant
There are so many opportunities for Queensland to move forward
We have a growing population diverse people and cultures abundant
natural resources that have the potential to be used sustainably and
we are so close to the new epicentre of change in the world in Asia
One finds it hard to imagine how the many social and economic opportunities our state has available
to us can be ignored how some leaders can still be so fixed in their intent to indefinitely expand the
coal mining industry when it is so clear the people of Queensland the people of Australia and the world
wants to move forward
This report is about the people of Queensland taking the initiative to communicate a positive new vision
of what our future economy and the journey to arrive there can look like It is the beginning of a new
chapter in the conversation about coal that has been getting closer and closer to being opened as more
people realise the devastating impacts the industry is having
Most of all this report is about justice not just for the planet but for workers and citizens who have done
nothing wrong to work in the coal industry It is about justice for workers who have been supporting our
economy supporting our towns our clubs and being part of our community Finally it is about justice for
the families in mining communities who deserve the support to help them plan their future beyond coal
It is the government and it is the mining corporations that have allowed these communities to be placed
in an increasingly risky situation However it is the responsibility of all of us to help them out of it and it
is now time to take that responsibility
Drew Hutton
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | iii
Foreword
The coal industryrsquos impact on the state of Queensland has had its
peak and is now in decline This makes right now the most important
time to be thinking about not just stopping the industryrsquos destruction
of prime agricultural land but also how we build the alternatives for
regions where coal has become so economically dominant
There are so many opportunities for Queensland to move forward
We have a growing population diverse people and cultures abundant
natural resources that have the potential to be used sustainably and
we are so close to the new epicentre of change in the world in Asia
One finds it hard to imagine how the many social and economic opportunities our state has available
to us can be ignored how some leaders can still be so fixed in their intent to indefinitely expand the
coal mining industry when it is so clear the people of Queensland the people of Australia and the world
wants to move forward
This report is about the people of Queensland taking the initiative to communicate a positive new vision
of what our future economy and the journey to arrive there can look like It is the beginning of a new
chapter in the conversation about coal that has been getting closer and closer to being opened as more
people realise the devastating impacts the industry is having
Most of all this report is about justice not just for the planet but for workers and citizens who have done
nothing wrong to work in the coal industry It is about justice for workers who have been supporting our
economy supporting our towns our clubs and being part of our community Finally it is about justice for
the families in mining communities who deserve the support to help them plan their future beyond coal
It is the government and it is the mining corporations that have allowed these communities to be placed
in an increasingly risky situation However it is the responsibility of all of us to help them out of it and it
is now time to take that responsibility
Drew Hutton
President of the Lock the Gate Alliance
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
iv | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Executive summary
This report is calling for a Just Transition for coal communities in Queensland The term is not well known in
common Australian political rhetoric The lsquoJust Transitionrsquo term in this report is defined as a transition that
supports environmental policies with a fair distribution of the costs and benefits across the economy and
that support the creation of opportunities for active engagement by those affected to determine the future
wellbeing of themselves and their families
There is substantial international literature on the concept of a Just Transition Reports by and for Australian
Canadian and South African unions are just a sample of the literature diversity Many organisations by way
of example the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation the United Nations Environment
Program the International Labour Organisation the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the World Wildlife Fund have produced literature on the matter
All over the world where communities have been largely dependent on a single unsustainable industry they have
throughout history been forced to transition Sometimes this is sudden unplanned and involves considerable pain
Most of which is felt by people working in those industries This unfortunately has been the experience so far in
Central Queensland with numerous mining companies cutting costs and forcing redundancies that have caused
families to leave the region The volatility of the Queensland coal industry has not been managed well by our either
colluding or timid state governments depending on which party is in power
Around the world there are stories we can look towards to find inspiration Some communities have reinvented
themselves creating new industries and jobs minimising the impacts on local people and establishing stronger
local economies We discuss some case studies in the report of communities which have achieved some
impressive results Inspiration can be found in the UK and South African movements to create One Million
Climate Jobs (Jobs 2015) Trade Unions have united with environmental organisations academics and other
civil society groups to write a blueprint for the creation and financing of 1 million low carbon long-term jobs in
each country Some of these initiatives include jobs in public transport in energy and in housing and jobs to
localise and secure food supply and protect water resources (Change 2010)
The market is telling us that coal is an energy source in decline Renewable energy investment is skyrocketing
air pollution controls are being stepped up around the globe and countries are preparing for much stronger
action on climate change As a major carbon exporting country Australia is in serious economic risk of being
caught in the midst of a rapidly hastening global energy transition Australia must develop energy and climate
strategies that are more in tune with international developments and capture the economic opportunities to
transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy To do this we need strong leadership from
the business sector our communities and because of the speed and resources that will be required in this
transition our governments
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | v
The Queensland government is under pressure from mining corporations and other stakeholders to keep the
coal industry going strong Faced with the challenge of creating an economic vision beyond coal our political
leaders have chosen for too long to capitulate to this pressure The coal industry is in denial about its terminal
decline The question community members are left to ponder is if the industry knew its days were counted
would it still try and squeeze as much support out of the government as possible To try to make as many
subsidised profits as it can before throwing in the towel We canrsquot wait and risk the livelihoods of citizens
in coal communities to find out The alternative for the people of Queensland and the Government is to
admit that the decline is terminal and stop delaying the re-orientation of policy and the economy to support
sustainable industries
Challenges faced by the different mining industry towns are quite different from one another As such the
planning of a just transition requires a diverse and adaptative strategic approach For example the challenges
the mining industry towns of Mackay and Rockhampton are facing are substantially different than the ones
the specifically mining operation towns of Moranbah and Blackwater are facing Different regions with
different levels of economic dependency on coal will require unique transitionary solutions and strategies
These different approaches needed are best understood by and will require leadership from the local
community to have the best chances of success
The economic and geographical difference between thermal and coking coal operations is another significant
complexity Often both coal types will be referred to as one homogenous industry by the media and politicians
This misguided referencing makes having a discussion about the different futures for each industry
difficult Coking coal has a substantially different outlook to thermal coal and needs to be discussed and
considered separately Policy supporting a just transition needs to carefully consider their uniqueness and the
implications this has for planning support resources and initiatives in different coal regions where each type
of coal has a different level of operational and economic intensity
The political conversation about a Just Transition has only just started to emerge Rumblings and whispers
of the actions and policies necessary within the environment and labour movements have been building
momentum Policies are being discussed and cooperatives are being launched throughout Australiarsquos coal
communities Significantly this issue is building important relationships between environment groups and
labour unions that have complimentary objectives within the Just Transition framework Their collaborations
are building a stronger and more cooperative civil society and strengthening the fabric of our democracy It is
hoped that this report will help contribute to this momentum so that some tangible and clear actions are seen
in the very near future
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
vi | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
1 Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
The unit would
bull Work on the ground in coal mining communities to bring government expertise into regional entities
bull Analyse barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative sustainable industries
bull Identify actions the State Government can take to support sustainable industries
bull Provide research funding to that prioritises low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple bottom line sustainability potential
2 Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities that
bull Lead in the development of their communitiesrsquo transition strategies
bull Researching the transition opportunities and pathways for the community
bull Planning and initiating re-training programs for workers from affected industries
bull Facilitate support programs for new businesses cooperatives and social enterprises based on the needs and strategies of communities
bull To take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a new future can be built
bull Run an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the community
bull Establish economic diversification projects including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-based enterprises
bull Work in collaboration with regional councils and economic development organisations
3 Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
bull Providing regular academic standard situational analysis of the global energy markets shifts to keep the public informed about energy market trajectories
bull Support regional entities to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their needs and the local educational and training needs and resources
bull Researching how the transition scenarios could differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal industries across coal mining communities
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | vii
4 Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
bull Develop a plan to grow competitive advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
bull Organise a State Economic Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage
5 Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
bull Create individual mine employment transition plans in cooperation with mining companies and local communities ready for when mines cease operating
bull Penalising mining companies that do not give adequate notice of their closure or restructuring
bull Subsidising workers at a full living income level for a maximum of four years who do not have adequate employment available to them at the time of redundancy to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in their community
6 Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
bull Support and finance Unions to play facilitating roles in community transitions
bull Engage Unions to
- Provide career planning and advice
- Negotiate preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries
- Lead the establishment of work controlled cooperatives
7 Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
bull Mandating coal mining companies to fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries
bull Funding training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued retraining and re-education
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
viii | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
8 Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
bull Bringing mine site rehabilitation standards in Queensland to global best practice
bull Mandate that mine sales are not made to companies without adequate capital to properly rehabilitate the mine site
bull Increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments throughout the life of the mine
bull Ban the sale of mines where rehabilitation responsibilities are not complete or behind schedule
bull Support the nationally coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions described above and more detailed policy changes
9 Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
bull Review and remove all hidden subsidies to the coal industry within the state government
10 Sound investment and resource revenue management
bull Commission an economic assessment of the possible economic mechanisms and changes to existing policies that could fund the above measures to the extent that will be necessary
bull Set aside a percentage of coal royalties for funding the diversification of coal mining regions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 1
1 Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
Coal in the Queensland economyOver the last 30 years the Queensland coal industry has grown substantially to become a significant part of
the Queensland economy and create employment in many regional areas The industry has been concentrated
in the Bowen and Surat Basins throughout rural western and central Queensland The boom for the industry
began in 2005ndash2006 when prices for coal rose by around 400 causing massive industry profits in the
2000s (Stanford 2014) Prices have fallen dramatically since the flow on effects of the global financial crisis
(GFC) slowed down Chinarsquos growth in 2011ndash2012 However prices have remained much higher than the
below US$40tonne that was averaged through the 90s and earlier (Quandlcom 2015)
Queensland coal train
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
2 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Over the last five years since the GFC and later slow down in coal demand the total Queensland coal
production has after decades of growth levelled off at just over 200 million tonnes per annum (Figure 1)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2008ndash09 2009ndash10 2010ndash11 2011ndash12 2012ndash13
Mill
ion
tonn
es
Figure 1 Queensland Coal Production 2008ndash09 to 2012ndash13 Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Queensland uses 20 to 25 million tonnes of its mined coal for electricity generation each year (Government
2014) But the rest which is 85 to 90 of the mined coal is exported to countries all over the world and
mainly to Asia In 2013ndash14 33 of the production was thermal coal and 67 was for coking coal production
to make steel (Table 1) Both thermal and coking coal create greenhouse gas emissions when they are burnt
However contrary to government and media perceptions the coal industry is not the sole driving force
behind the Queensland economy As in most modern economies the service industry dominates with 60
of economic output followed by the construction industry with 10 manufacturing at 7 and agriculture
forestry and fishing at 3 (ABS 2014)
An overview of the Queensland coal industry would not be complete without an examination of its level of
foreign ownership By volume 80 of Queenslandrsquos coal production is foreign owned (Government 2013)
This means that a majority of the profits from the operations of these companies are being directed out of
Australia to international shareholders
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 3
Table 1 Queensland Coal Mining Areas Production and Types 2009ndash10 to 2013ndash14
2009ndash2010 2010ndash2011 2011ndash2012 2012ndash2013 2013ndash2014
Mines operating 56 57 58 59 59
Saleable production Open-cut
Northern 76 450 64 167 62 632 71 268 78 953
Central 63 319 52 637 56 032 63 871 73 801
Southern 39 339 37 423 45 010 43 709 43 651
Total (mt) 179 108 154 227 163 674 178 848 196 405
Underground
Northern 7 642 8 965 9 492 13 266 11 470
Central 18 968 16 642 15 082 14 511 18 433
Total (mt) 26 611 25 606 24 574 27 776 29 903
Coking coal total 125 178 108 731 117 000 131 328 151 571
Thermal coal total 80 540 71 103 71 247 75 296 74 737
State total 205 719 179 834 188 247 206 624 226 309
Source Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13
Abbot Point
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
4 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
As a nation the coal industry is Australiarsquos second
largest export earner after the iron ore industry Last
year it generated $40 billion which equal to about
12 of export revenue (Cleary 2015) The coal
industry in Queensland will pay around $2 billion
which amounts to 80 of total mining royalties
to the state Government in 2014ndash15 (Campbell
2014) Coal royalties represent around 4 of
Queensland Government revenue (Vorrath 2014)
Similar amounts come from vehicle registrations
and interests on funds saved for superannuation
in addition to long service leave entitlements as
shown in Figure 2 Such figures are not large in the
financial context of running a state government
Despite this the taxation contribution of coal is
incorrectly perceived as significant
The large revenues derived from coal exports
is due to the massive volumes the industry has
reached in recent years Total revenue to the coal
industry from its mining operations amounts to
approximately $25 billion per year that is added
to the economy This is a significant contribution
to Queenslandrsquos economy but one that needs
to be viewed relative to the size of the economy
Queenslandrsquos economy produced output worth
$290 billion in 2012ndash13 meaning the coal
sector accounted for around 7 of production
by value as shown in Figure 3 (right)
Commonwealth grants
Other staterevenue
MV registration
3
4840
54Interest
Coal royalties
Figure 2 Queensland State Government Revenue SourcesSource Queensland Treasury (2014) Queensland State Budget 2014ndash15 Paper 2
Non-mining
Other
2
91
7
Coal
Figure 3 Queensland gross state product coal other mining and non-mining sectors 2012ndash13 Source ABS (2013) Catalogue 52200 Australian National Accounts State Accounts
Coal industry jobs and their locationsThere has been much debate recently as to the exact number of people employed by the coal mining industry
Industry figures have been disputed because of the industryrsquos continual representation and communication
of construction jobs as if they were permanent In addition the industry conspicuously classifies indirect
growth in employment within the local economy as jobs that mining development is responsible for creating
Although in regional mining communities mining employment is high it is relatively small on a statewide
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 5
level Most recently the industryrsquos employment claims were revealed again in the Australian Land Court
case regarding coal mining development by Indian mining company Adani in the Galilee Basin to have been
exaggerated (Cox 2015) Adanirsquos mine proposal cited the figure of 10000 jobs attached to its development
application but the court was told by Adanirsquos own expert witness that the mine development would only
create 1464 actual jobs throughout the ongoing operation of the mine (Branco 2015)
According to research by The Australia Institute a majority of Queenslanders believe that the mining industry
employs ten times the amount of people it actually does (Campbell 2014) In reality the report shows that
the coal industry only employs 12 of the Queensland workforce (Vorrath 2014) What is significant is how
this employee population is regionally distributed with a majority of the employees residing in the Central
Highlands Isaac and Mackay Regional Council areas (Figure 4)
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Whitsu
nday
Suns
hine C
oast
Banan
a
Rockh
ampt
on
Brisba
ne
Cent
ral H
ighlan
dsIsa
ac
Macka
yTo
tal
Em
ploy
men
t
Figure 4 Coal jobs by Local Government Area (LGA) in Queensland Top 8Source ABS 2011 Census Coal mining jobs by region in Queensland
SummaryThe coal industry plays a significant role in the Queensland economy but it is by no means irreplaceable As
the next section will show the coal industry has fallen from the lofty heights of its unprecedented profitability
and aggressive hunger for expansion It has come to a slower pace but due to the forecasted change expected
to affect the industry a new approach to planning local economies beyond coal is required
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
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Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
6 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
Windmill and wind farm
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 7
2 The drivers of change in the coal industry
Drivers of change The global energy market is in a period of dynamic long-term structural change that will have ongoing
repercussions for energy exporting countries such as Australia Over the last ten years the expansion in gas
the decrease in renewable energy prices the increasing of capital infrastructure costs the demand for cleaner
energy and energy efficiency have all dramatically changed the nature of the global energy economy (Ben
Caldecott 2014)
Coal has been the energy source that has made so many technological advancements through history possible
Although there has been many struggles and social costs along the way The communities workers and
companies that made this progress possible have substantially contributed to the creation of the modern world
Though if there is one thing we know from history it is that empires rise and fall The coal empire is crumbling
As it crumbles it is creating unnecessary instability stress and hardship on communities In communities like
Mackay where income has dropped by 30ndash40 as many other small mining towns people and businesses have
been caught culturally and economically unprepared for this economic shift (Bleby 2013)
It is clear that coal thermal coal especially is no longer good for humanity despite our former Prime Minister
Tony Abbottrsquos fervent belief that it is (Online 2014) WA Premier Colin Barnett heralded last year in his
declaration that coal is in lsquostructural declinersquo (Burrell 2014) He was not wrong In the past 5 years alone the
Dow Jones Total Coal Market index has fallen by 76 (Baker 2014)
The reality is that the world is rapidly shifting away from fossil fuels including countries that are key
importers of Australiarsquos coal and gas China India Japan and South Korea import over 80 of Australiarsquos
export market for coal and gas The reality is that these countries have recently either announced policies to
shift away from these fuels andor initiatives to drastically enhance renewable energy and energy efficiency
(ldquoPolitics of Climate Change in Asiardquo 2015)
The following section of the report analyses the risk of Australia not being prepared economically for changes
that are already taking place As a country and a state our governing political parties continue to pursue
a strategy that assumes our short and long term economic prosperity is dependent on mining Few of our
political leaders are attempting to communicate an economic vision free from the inevitable boom-bust cycles
created by extracting emissions-intensive resources It is also a strategy that assumes energy production and
distribution will continue on as a very centralised process rather than following the great trend of networked
and decentralised distribution that is shaping the 21st century (Riftkin 2015) This strategy is short-sighted
given recent announcements by China and India to phase out fossil fuels and move rapidly towards cleaner
and more distributed energy sources (Rohr 2014)
The international coal priceThe majority of Queenslandrsquos export coal mining industry is dependent on demand for steel making from
the worldrsquos coking or metallurgical coal market This is a market that has been severely impacted by a
combination of actions in China the biggest steel manufacturer in the world Primarily Chinarsquos housing
boom has been slowing down over recent years this in turn has massively reduced the need for steel Most
importantly China is also running a ldquowar on pollutionrdquo that is having direct short- and long-term impacts on
the viability of the coal industry as a whole This has resulted in a campaign of state enforced closures of coal
plants and steel mills especially near the countryrsquos big industrial coastal cities (Ng 2015)
Prices on the international coking coal stock market have plummeted from the all time high of US$330
tonne in late 2011 to a sobering low of US$109tonne in the first quarter of 2015 The outlook still remains
gloomy for the coal sector
With the continued slowdown in the global and Chinese economies the price of iron ore has also collapsed
Prices have dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2015 alone causing at least one Australian mine to
close operations and many others to cancel plans for expansions (Sandersen 2015) Iron ore is closely linked
to the sales of coking coal which is used most commonly to melt iron ore into steel
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
8 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
20
14
US
$t
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2007high quality high coking semi-soft coking
2009 2011 2013 2015
Figure 5 Coking Coal Prices 2005ndash2015 (worldcoalcom)
A similar price drop has hit thermal coal used in coal-fired power stations Thermal coal is mined in many
Surat Basin mines and is also found in some Bowen Basin mines where it is an addition to the high quality
coking coal found in the area Significantly the proposed mining development in the Galilee Basin is only
for thermal coal which at a time when coal-fired power stations are being replaced by cleaner options is
alarming (Pacific 2012) Thermal coal was priced at US$120tonne in late 2011 It had plunged to US$73
per tonne by February 2015 and has remained below US$60tonne since May 2015 Chinarsquos new rules of
cutting ash and sulphur content in seaborne coal imports along with increasing tariffs on coal imports has
meant that even Shenhua Chinarsquos biggest coal company cut coal imports in early 2015 (Jenda 2015)
Overall Chinese consumption dipped by 16 in 2014 despite their economic growth of 73
The decade of relentless and largely unplanned investment in Queensland coal mining in times of high prices
led to a massive oversupply against a background of decreasing demand The state and federal governments
failed to slow the industry down so that it did not overshoot an economically sustainable size This has made
the challenge of transitioning out of the industry even harder along with magnifying the pain now faced by
many mining towns (Neubauer 2015) All of this leaves a million-dollar question Is the downshift in [coal]
demand terminal According to Richard Gibbs from the Macquarie Bank it certainly is (Neubauer 2015)
The global coal market is also experiencing competition from renewables and shale gas slow growth and
government policies which are in part driven by the threat of climate change
The growing competition from renewable energy sources has been increasing its impact on the coal industry
by slowly but steadily eroding profits of domestic coal power stationsmdashand thus demand for coalmdashacross the
country (Hewson 2015) In Queensland the state government should be applauded for its 50 renewable
energy target by 2030 which will further add strain to struggling coal power generators (Parkinson 2015)
A more than 50 decline in coal prices has seen most listed coal companies globally to lose 80ndash90 of their
equity market value in the last four years (Buckley 2014) In 2014 the world added more energy generation
capacity from wind power than from coal Overall Europe and America have already cut coal-fired generation
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 9
capacity by over a fifth in a decade The sun will undoubtedly rise even further for renewable energy in 2015
but for coal there remains a lot further to fallrdquo said a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and
Financial Analysis in January 2015 (Buckley 2015a)
This statement is borne out by the facts
bull In 2014 new global wind installations grew 40 to 46GW led by China and America (Buckley
2015b)
bull In 2014 the US solar installation sector created almost 50 more jobs than the oil and gas pipeline
construction industry (Foundation 2015)
bull From 2000 to 2011 global annual growth in the yearly global installation rate of photovoltaic solar
panels was 40 In 2011 the total amount of global PV capacity installed was 27GW an astonishing
60 growth on 2010 levels (Green 2012)
bull Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than new coal-fired power in Australia (Paton 2013)
Solar installation
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
10 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
Coal power station
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 11
International mining companiesIt is not just in Australia that coal mining jobs are being lost Internationally the picture is very similarmdash
the global coal industry is being hit hard and jobs overseas are also being lost Rather than just wait for
continued disruptive innovation along with human and environmentally-oriented policy shifts to drive them to
bankruptcy the worldrsquos biggest coal companies are restructuring A good example is the German energy giant
EOn The company has stakes in all forms of energy from coal to gas nuclear and renewables In December
2014 the company announced that it wants to focus on renewable energy and has parcelled all of its
fossil fuel interests into a separate company to avoid the risk to its primary growth-driving renewable energy
company (Hope 2014) Mining giant Rio Tinto has also signalled a move away from coal mining It has done
this by separating its coal assets into a different company Along with BHP Billiton who have halved their
coal use both mining companies have sold off many of their thermal coal mining operations in Australia and
globally (Buckley 2015c)
In the US the birthplace of many new technologies the coal industry is in free-fall like nowhere else A massive
expansion in shale gas has shifted energy production towards gas leaving the domestic consumption oriented
coal industry stranded(Mathieson 2015) This has caused historically major mining companies Arch Coal and
Peabody to lose massive value resulting in lower share prices than seen for decades Like dedicated Australian
coal miners Whitehaven Coal and Newhope Coal neither of these companies have anywhere to go They are run
purely on coal They do not have the diversification options that EOn and BHP have available to them
The outlook for coal pricesWhile some consider the outlook for coal prices as cyclical in nature and that a turnaround will increases
prices for coal other analysts believe this downward trend based on policies health impacts and concern
about global warming is here to stay
Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia paint a grim outlook for global metallurgical
coal prices China was once the great hope for coking coal exporters but BHP Billitonrsquos metallurgical coal
market outlook (May 2013) indicated a flattening demand into the future (Billiton 2013 Rohr 2014)
BHP Billiton has warned that the increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces would result in lower growth in
demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnacesmdashwhich use little or no coking coalmdash
are expected to ldquocontribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030rdquo Although coking
coal will likely remain necessary for steel production for some time as renewable energy sources grow the
efficiency and lower emissions intensity of electric arc furnaces will help them to outcompete coking coal in
the not too distant future Some experts even predict another technology called lsquodirect reduced ironrsquo that uses
gas to make steel could make coking coal redundant within a decade (Macleod 2013)
It is not just China BHP Billiton also cautions that the Indian steel outlook is less certain as steel production
growth has been slower than expected Prices for commodities from iron ore to coal are sinking as Chinarsquos
leadership tries to steer the economy away from debt-fueled property investment and smokestack industries
embracing services and domestic-led consumption At the same time President Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts
to combat pollution The provincial government of Beijing and a number of other major cities have made plans to
ban coal use by 2020 further putting the squeeze on all types of heavy industry (Coulter 2015)
However the outlook is not all dismal for coal everywhere In India demand is expected to continue to rise
without peaking until the 2030s Indiarsquos government predicts a 19 rise in coal imports this year which
may offer very short-term opportunities for Australian miners The opportunities are short term because these
import increases are something the Indian government has indicated it does not want continued into the
future Indiarsquos plan is to ramp up renewable energy technology as well as develop their untapped coal fields
to support a gradual phase out of thermal-coal imports within the next 2ndash3 years (Baker 2014) Regardless
the Indian mining giant Adani still hopes it can get coal from its proposed Carmichael mine in the Galilee
Basin and export it to India for the duration of its 60 year life span After a number of international banks
have ruled out funding for the Carmichael coal mine Adani has been looking for cash handouts from the
Australian Government to fund its shaky proposal However sanity has prevailed and these have been ruled
out by the new Prime Minister (Edis 2015) It is clear the Indian governmentrsquos plan for Indiarsquos future coal
supply sources does not involve Australian coal
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
12 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
This is the marketplace in which Australiarsquos exported coal competes and this is the marketplace that holds the
livelihoods of workers and communities in its hands The current state and future outlook of the coal industry
suggests that it would be risky not to scale down the thermal coal industry and at least restrict any new mine
expansions in the coking coal sector There are those who remain positive about the industryrsquos future but
recent events in the coal industry and uncertainty over medium and long term suggest that there are better
industries to back Behind these diverse risks threatening the coal industry is the inescapable scientific
fact that we cannot afford to burn any more coal from new coal mines if we want to decrease the risk of our
already fifty fifty chance of avoiding the worst impacts of global warming (IPCC 2013) If we wanted to try
and remove the total risk of runaway climate change we could not even afford to burn the coal that are sitting
in trucks on trains at port yards and in ships Not even the coal travelling on conveyors into power station
furnaces about to be burnt right this very moment
The carbon bubbleFrom the South Sea Bubble as well as the housing and dotcom bubbles of the last decade periodic over-
investment has been made into sectors deemed too important to fail The rush and hubris of investors seeking
incomparable profits to finance such industries has led to speculative bubbles of over-estimated value that
eventually burst In the economic fallout that results working people carry the burden while the speculators
and profiteers generally are not held accountable Another speculative bubble has formed and it dwarfs the
size of all of the bubbles that have come before it It is called the Carbon Bubble (Tracker 2015)
One of the few things world leaders agreed upon at the Copenhagen climate talks was that the Earth needs to
stay below 2degC warming to minimize the risk of runaway climate change
bull If we are to avoid going over 2degC we can emit only 565 more gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (IPCC 2007)
bull Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2795
gigatonnes of carbon dioxidemdashfive times the safe amount (Leaton 2013)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has now produced its own carbon budget They have calculated
that if we continue pumping carbon into the atmosphere at todayrsquos rate this budget will be exhausted within
15ndash25 years (IPCC 2013) This means there will be growing political pressure on the fossil fuel industry to
keep most of its reserves in the ground That pressure has already begun around the world Citizens are pressing
their superannuation funds councils banks universities and other institutions to divest from fossil fuels with
growing success The year 2013 saw several major financial institutions recognise the financial and ethical
implications of continuing to finance fossil fuels with Norwegian Storebrand Rabobank and the World Bank
among those who made major announcements on divestment or cutting loans In 2014 major institutions
including Stanford University the Australian National University and Oxford University have divested their fossil
fuel funds (Advisors 2015) So far in 2015 local councils in Australia such as Moreland Newcastle Byron Bay
Melbourne and many more have also divested (Ryan 2015) Divestment is now going mainstream and will have
increasing impacts on fossil fuel company shares into the future
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 13
As a result of the momentum of the global divestment movement international stock exchanges are creating
new indexes to exclude fossil fuels in preparation of the impending seismic shift in global finances In late
April 2014 the worldrsquos largest fund manager Blackrock joined with the FTSE Group in London to create
a new index The ex-Fossil Fuels Index Series is an innovative set of benchmark indices that excludes
companies directly engaged in extracting so-called ldquostranded assetsrdquo in the hydrocarbons industry ldquoThis
is one of the fastest-moving debates I think Irsquove seen in my 30 years in marketsrdquo FTSE managing director
Kevin Bourne told the Financial Times (Clarke 2014) The Bank of England is now investigating its exposure
to risk from its fossil fuel investments To top that off the worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth investment fund in
Norway has recently dumped coal investments (Carrington 2015) The largest contribution to climate change
from the fossil fuels in company inventories at present is from coal Because it has the largest climate impact
per unit of useful energy it is being targeted for early phase out
The book value of fossil fuel companies is determined not only by their current infrastructure and deposits
undergoing extraction but also by the size of their legally claimed reserves Because the book value of so
many companies has greatly exceeded their realisable value as emissions restrictions come into place a
speculative bubble has formed Unfortunately bubbles usually burst in the end leaving behind stranded
assets and stranded capitalmdashand leaving workers in the lurch The only alternative is a mature and planned
phase out of the industry that slowly devalues and deregisters fossil fuel reserves at a pace that does not lead
to financial crisis A planned phase out that gives time for just employment transitions for fossil fuel
communities
500
1000886
565
1500
2000
2500
3000
already burnt
remaining
2000ndash2050
2011ndash2050
Coal 2˚Global carbon
budget
Oil
Gas
GtC
O2
Global fossil fuel reserves
Figure 6 Carbontracker 2012 report The Carbon Bubble
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
14 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
In 2013 the report Unburnable Carbon highlighted that ldquoCompany valuation and credit ratings
methodologies do not typically inform investors about their exposure to these stranded assetsrdquo (Leaton
2013) This is very troubling when considering that the supporting share value of these reserves was $4
trillion in 2012 and that they serviced $127 trillion in outstanding corporate debt over the same period We
need to challenge these methodologies (Tracker 2015) In a move that signals a step towards the solutions
required the World Bank the European Investment Bank and the US Export-Import Bank have all announced
that they will not fund further coal-fired power plants except in exceptional circumstances As changes in
policy by the major coal consumers the uptake of renewables and the need to stay within the global carbon
budget begin to bite it is high-cost producers who will be squeezed first Australia is considered a high-cost
producer because of our strong industrial relations and wage laws which makes it all the more necessary that
our governments are vigilant and prepared for impending macroeconomic change (Cleary 2015)
SummaryThis is the environment in which the Australian coal industry finds itself Internationally coal is no longer
looking like a safe long-term investment within the context of the rapid changes afoot in the world The coal
industry leaders are either in denial about their industryrsquos future or are determined to squeeze as much profit
as possible until the cost gets worn by workers and their communities (Saunders 2015)
The issues of climate change demands for cleaner air and more efficient new technologies The realities of
the market are revealing coal as the sunset industry it really is This is not an industry Queenslanders can
rely on to create a stable resilient and sustainable economy It cannot be relied upon for future wealth
and future jobs We have been warned by the UN Climate Change Secretariatrsquos Executive Secretary that the
diversification and a managed transition away from coal is what we need to do and we need to heed this
warning (Australian 2015)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 15
3 Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
IntroductionThe great state of Queensland is endowed with sustainable human and environmental resources that have the
potential if we choose to harness it to drive a balanced diverse and resilient economy for generations to
come Diversifying Queenslandrsquos economy to create sensible and stable prosperity beyond the boom and bust
vagaries of the mining industry must be a key objective of the Queensland Government The Newman LNP
Governmentrsquos Queensland Plan headline was lsquoforging diversity and prosperityrsquo (Government 2014) But
throughout Newmanrsquos reign as premier no action was taken Under the new Palaszczuk Labor Government
there has been some effort to support economic diversification across the state This is insufficient because as
of yet nothing has been done to adequately fund facilitate and empower the actual communities where
mining takes place The grassroots Labour Environmental Action Network an organisation within the
Australian Labour Party has called for change At the 2015 Queensland ALP State Conference they put
forward a motion that was passed calling on the state government to prepare a just transition policy before the
next conference (ALP 2015)
Grain harvest
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
16 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Most importantly both major parties have continued their relentless support for further coal mine expansions
that inherently suffocate the process of diversification
With the coal industry forecast to be in a lsquostructural declinersquo by political leaders and bankers alike it is now
essential that the focus for economic development be on industries that can bring sustainable prosperity to
Queensland (Burrell 2014 Robins 2014) In the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Thatcher the world
witnessed the consequences of industries closing without planning and without investment to transition local
communities and industries
The following section of the report outlines how the opportunities for sustainable economic development
are already known Queensland has well-established sectors with bountiful potential in agriculture tourism
manufacturing and education It also has the opportunity to capitalise on a boom in renewable energy and
bio-industrial products to create more sustainable economic sectors These industries are ready to fill the
void that will be and is being left by coal however they lack the support needed to ensure their presence in
mining communities to provide a just transition away from coal where it is most needed
Agriculture and aquacultureCurrently the Queensland agricultural sector is worth near $147 billion and employs over 90000 people
(Queensland Government 2012) The sector has the potential to massively expand its food exports to Asia as
population and economic growth continue to surge in the dynamic economic region Through the competitive
advantage of our proximity to Asia and high-quality produce capabilities agricultural products have become
Queenslandrsquos second largest export earner and have the potential for continued growth (Heath 2014) By
increasing availability of farming technology driving productivity minimising costs and focusing on profitable
premium produce markets the Queensland Agricultural Strategy (2012) aims to double the total value of
production for all agricultural commodities by 2040 With innovative new farming approaches and ecosystem
system management strategies such increases in production are possible in a way which sustainably manages
and regenerates the land
To reduce pressure on fish stocks from home and abroad the promotion of aquaculture could be further
encouraged across the state This industry is worth $10 Million a year (Lucas DLGP 2011) At present
there are several sites located along the coast however research conducted over the last decade has
identified future sites for land based aquaculture Industry consultation aquaculture management training
programs and related issues in developing a workforce need to be considered (Plan 2012) The Queensland
Aquaculture Industry Federation sees the need for continued collaboration between government and other
stakeholders in order for this industry to reach itsrsquo potential as a strong core industry (Federation 2015)
The Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation is leading the government drive to
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 17
develop the aquaculture industry This could see a future where aquaculture goes further than just meeting
domestic demand and grow to cater for high value export markets (Lucas DLGP 2011)
New opportunities in animal genetics aquaculture horticulture and bio-processing are driving agriculture
and aquaculture sector growth in new directions Both industries are about creating intergenerational
economic sustainability Choosing these industries that have unlimited potential to sustain our communities
and our ecosystems over mining is choosing long-term jobs over short-term jobs that cannot be passed on to
the next generation The bottom line is that we live in a hungry world and Queensland is well placed to be a
reliable and sustainable source of food to other nations without the agricultural potential we are endowed with
(Government 2014)
Tourism and recreational fishingDespite setbacks due to the high Australian dollar and loss of skilled workers to the mining boom the
tourism industry is still a critical part of the Queensland economy with massive future potential (Dr Tien Duc
Pham 2015) The tourism industry made a significant employment contribution providing 124000 jobs in
2010ndash11 with steady growth in international visitor nights (Deloitte Access Economics 2012) Queensland
has the potential to become a global leader in tourism and ecotourism and by doing so to create more
jobs and revenue (Government 2014) This will be possible similarly as in agriculture by promoting the
experiences available in our natural places and the quality hospitality we can provide to the growing Asian
middle class (Wilson 2013) The Chinese tourism market is seeking clean fresh and new experiences that
Queensland can cater to and is expected to be worth $74 billion by 2020 (Guterres 2014) Significant to
Queenslandrsquos potential in tourism is our ability to expand the tourism industry in the authentically Australian
rural and stunningly beautiful coastal mining communities where new economic activities are most needed
Further mining expansion in such places threatens to do to tourism what the growth in heavy industry did to
Gladstonersquos economic diversity where fishing and tourism are now non-existent
Although sustainably managed fisheries have the potential to provide continued economic prosperity to
Queensland there lies a major opportunity in net free fisheries to develop as tourism industries specifically
in coal mining regions A great recent example of this taking place is the newly established Net Free Zone
between from the Northern end of St Helens beach to Cape Hillsborough (Spelitis 2015) Along with three
other net free zones across the state the extent of the cumulative commercial opportunities for sustainable
tourism the net free zones have created has made it one of the three pillars as part of the 2020 vision for the
Queensland has the opportunity to develop an abundant and resilient agricultural industry that supports the transition to sustainable prosperity
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
18 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (Council 2015) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday (MIW) coal mining
region has excellent accessibility to a variety of fishing pursuits In addition to the new net free zone ther are
five fresh water stocked impoundment fisheries creating opportunities to promote lake beach offshore and
deepwater angling Improvement of accommodation facilities quality of jetties access roads and coordinating
fish trails with regional events could maximise visitation from recreational and tourism markets (Mackay
Tourism Tourism Queensland 2012) Charter fishing operatiors tackle stores campsites motels boat sales
boat building and maintenance all have the opportunity of benefitted from growth from the recreational fishing
tourism industry (Lucas DLGP 2012)
Higher educationOver the past decade millions of international students have visited Queensland for our quality tertiary
institutions and enjoyable lifestyle International education is Queenslandrsquos biggest service export with
nearly $2431 million being generated in 2013ndash14 alone (Australian Government 2014) The majority
of Queensland is strategically located in the latitudinal tropical zone where at a global level more than
50 of the worldrsquos population is forecasted to live by 2050 (Australian Government 2015) This makes
Queenslandrsquos universities well placed to develop the partnerships and research innovations tailored to the
challenges and opportunities of the new tropically-oriented world This will help Queensland and especially
North Queensland to attract increasing levels of international students to be part of our high-quality tropical
research institutions These students will increase spending through tourism support the creation of our own
skilled and globally connected workforce and connect Australia to business networks and opportunities across
the world In 2013ndash14 the Cairns region benefitted to the tune of $1375 million from international students
(McGuiggan 2014) With the right policies these benefits already being experienced primarily in Cairns
Townsville and Brisbane can be spread further across Queensland to make international education a strong
economic driver in transitioning mining communities
Bio-industrial productsAs the world moves away from fossil fuels the demand for cleaner more sustainable fuel sources will grow
(Emissions 2014) By using excess organic matter produced through food production to develop bio-industrial
products Queensland has the potential to export clean and sustainable fuels and bio-plastic materials to the
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Tourism is about experiences not extraction It has the potential to share Queensland beauty with the rest of the world and create sustainable local economies in the process
Queenslandrsquos greatest resource is the minds of its people We can share and co-create our innovations and learning with students from all over the world who want to make Queensland the launch pad for their careers
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 19
world for generations to come This economic opportunity is uniquely important because it is the mining regions
that have some of the greatest potential to capitalise on it and create new jobs by doing so In recent years
the bio-plastics sector has grown to make up 10ndash15 of the global plastics industry Unfortunately despite
its massive potential Queensland is still not yet involved in this industry at a significant level (Queensland
Government 2010) This is despite several modeled projects that indicate the potential contribution to
Queensland economy is estimated to be $18 billion annually creating 6 640 jobs by 2035 (Deloitte Access
Economics 2014) This is such a potentially lucrative industry that investment to fuel this growth given the
enough initial government support to build momentum can come from the private sector
The bio masse (feedstock) used to create bio-based products are readily available in the MIW regions
Agricultural bio waste and non food feedstock is an area where MIW can lead internationally with licensing
and technology development the access to a skilled workforce research infrastructure stable government
natural assets strong regulatory system and close vicinity to Asia being local advantages The transition
from research and development in the laboratory to pilot plants to commercial development is slowly taking
place At the Furfural Plant at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and at the QUT Mackay Renewable Bio-commodities
centre pilot plants are in operation (Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation
2010) The bio-technology provides the opportunity to value add to the agricultural and forestry sectors in
feedstock supply Manufacturing nearby full scale plants could potentially benefit in the production of fuel
pharmaceutical and construction products that compliment bio based chemicals and liquids created (Deloitte
Access Economics 2014)
Sorghum fields
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
20 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Queensland is well placed to develop biofuel products from waste and oil crops such as Pongamia and algae
in addition to using the statersquos advanced sugarcane industry to convert excess cane using efficient cellulosic
processes Recent scientific developments in bio-plastics at the University of Queensland show that as a
state Queensland has the skills and ability to build a bio-industrial products industry that can contribute to a
sustainable economic future (Queensland 2015)
Renewable energyQueensland the sunshine state has enormous potential to generate electricity from the sun wind and waves
in addition to many other abundant renewable energy sources (Green 2012) Renewable energy has for a long
time been the catch cry from environmentalists as the complete solution to creating the jobs necessary to
replace the fossil fuel industry This report has been written partially to show recognition that as much as
renewable energy has the potential to create more jobs and replace fossil fuel domestic energy production it
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Gemasolar solar thermal power station Spain
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 21
cannot completely replace all of the coal
export industry jobs Numerous studies
show that with strong climate policies
over 7100 jobs can be created in
Queensland through renewable energy
by 2030 (Institute 2011) Thousands of
these jobs will be in regional
Queensland These should be prioritised
for regions where the mining industry
has developed rural communities in
need of new economic opportunities Far
North Queensland is especially suited to
further renewable energy investment
because of its climatic conditions and
because of the expensive transmissions
losses from having energy wired from
southern power sources (Allen 2011)
This makes it essential that government
policy ensures that the fair share of the
$35 billion in potential renewable
energy investment goes to rural mining
communities not only where it is most
needed economically but where it
makes the most business sense
(Department of Employment 2009)
The mining boom has created an unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel exports It is time to build an economy that has the potential to last forever A bio-industrial products export industry is Queenslandrsquos opportunity to do this for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come
Queensland has the potential to become a smart sunshine state powered by clean and sustainable renewable energy By doing this we will be creating jobs in rural mining communities where they are needed most and building a foundation for a new sustainable economy
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
22 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
4 Community transitions Global case studies
There are communities around the worldwhich have reinvented themselves after the end of coal mining and
developed prosperous economies in doing so It has been a struggle but where there is a level of government
support inspired local leadership and the community is working together to regenerate its economy it has
been possible (Coal 2015) We are not suggesting any of these examples can be directly transferred to
Queensland communities facing the end of coal mining The object of these case studies is not to provide a
blueprint for Mackay Gladstone Rockhampton or mining towns in Central Queensland but to show the
diversity of ideas that have worked in other places that might stimulate our local communities to reinvent
themselves too
Hazelwood coal power station La Trobe Valley Vic
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 23
La Trobe ValleyIn the brown coal producing region of the La Trobe Valley in Victoria a grassroots transitionary force has been
underway for the past fifteen years Earthworker was set up by union and climate change activists seeking a
real alternative to coal and privately owned business models Earthworker Cooperativersquos mission is to create
jobs that respond to the lsquochallenges of climate change and the need for local job creation by facilitating the
establishment of worker-owned cooperatives hellip in sustainability-focused industriesrsquo (Earthworker 2015)
Their current focus is the establishment of a cooperative producing solar hot water systems in partnership
with an existing business called lsquoEverlast Hydro Systemsrsquo Their goal is to take production to Morwell in the
La Trobe Valley where workers are in need of an alternative to the coal industry The unique cooperative model
has made selling arrangement possible through inserting the option to buy a solar hot water system through
enterprise bargaining agreements
BanwenThe DOVE workshop in Banwen South Wales (Dove 2015) was started by agroup of women who during
the 1984ndash85 coal minersrsquo strike decided that community-based education was the most practical path to
regenerate the local economy Setting up shop in an abandoned mine office they developed a series of adult
education workshops for women Three decades later the DOVE building hosts a diverse set of small-scale
entrepreneurs including a daycare a library a community garden and a cafeacute featuring local foods
OrkneyOrkney like Central Queensland is a relatively isolated place with a scattered population Situated at the
top of Scotland two hours from the mainland by ferry Orcadians like Central Queenslanders often feel
like spectators to what goes on in the rest of their country They also feel vulnerable to central government
decisions and are often irritated by the lack of understanding of island life on the part of distant authoritiesmdash
its particular customs dialect and ways of doing things Since Norse times Orkney islanders burned peat (a
very young form of coal) as their primary fuel source but all the peat has been dug up This traditional way
of life where each farming family had its own peat bank and spent long summer days cutting and drying
peats while sharing picnics as children played is gone Another non-renewable energy source North Sea oil
discovered in the 1970s brought positive and negatives for the island It turned the tide of depopulation but
like the peat banks the oil is depleting and another lsquoend of an erarsquo is approaching Orcadians have woken up
to the fact that they canrsquot continue to hark back to the past and are confronting the issues of a future without
fossil fuels
Over the last three decades European community funding has helped Orkney to equip itself for the green
energy revolution Orkney now plays a global role in the evolution of wave and tidal technologies and
significant research and development work is creating new employment opportunities A high school in
Stromness was converted into the European Marine Energy Centre and is now a world leader providing
developers the opportunity to test full-scale prototypes in the sea The worldrsquos largest single-rotor tidal turbine
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
24 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
was the first in Scotland to be connected to the national grid from this centre Marine energy combined with
an expansion of wind turbines means that the island is now self-sufficient in electricity These renewable
energy developments have created jobs in the Orkneys in civil works and erection grid connection and
communications (Stuart 2011)
Investment in renewable energy and its associated RampD has attracted people to live work and study on the
island Islanders used to have to leave to get tertiary education but it is now possible to study for an MSc in
renewable energy at a Heriot Watt University campus in Stromness A new generation of Orcadians have grown
up to see renewable energy as the way of the future something quite ldquonormalrdquo which will provide greater
opportunities for their children to stay on the island with genuine prospects for employment in meaningful
jobs requiring a wide range of skills and qualifications This shows what a community in transition to a low
carbon future can look like
Nord-Pas De CalaisUntil 1986 the north-east region of France Nord-pas de Calais was a major coal mining area It still boasts
huge twin tailings mountains the largest in Europe which have become a tourist attraction It is known
to Australians for the war cemeteries associated with the battle of the Somme in WW1 but it has recently
undergone a remarkable transformation towards a truly sustainable economy Old coal mines at Lens have
been transformed into an art gallery displaying works from the Louvre collection in Paris Hundreds of people
are trained in energy efficiency solar energy and green architecture at a new training centre in nearby Loos-
en-Gohelle
The Chamber of Commerce invited economist and social visionary Jeremy Rifkin of the TIR Consulting
Group and his chief economist Skip Laitner to apply their model of the third industrial revolution to the
district (Riftkin 2015) Rifkinrsquos Third Industrial Revolution combines renewable energy energy efficiency
and the connectivity of the internet Buildings are energy generators and hydrogen is used as energy storage
After working with the community for some time the Master Plan was published in 2013 and envisages
that 100000 new jobs can be created by the transition plan (LLC 2013) Certainly the population has not
declined since mining days and has even slightly increased Inspired local leadership was the key in this
community plus some outside funding to help with the underpinning research
Appalachia (Kentucky)The transition process is just starting here but the community is very organised Kentuckians For The
Commonwealth has been battling the negative effects of coal mining for some decades and is now planning a
transition to ldquobuilding a better future beyond coalrdquo (Commonwealth 2015) Last year they held a conference
in Harlan Kentucky right in the middle of the Appalachian coal fields and invited guests from other US
regions in the same position as well as from Wales It is too soon to see what the outcome of their learning
process will be but they are another example of a community taking its future into its own handsmdashoptimistic
that there is a better future after coal
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 25
5 A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
The opportunities to transition from unsustainable coal mining to prosperous communities with decent
employment will not just materialise by themselves It will need the political will and the right incentives to
ensure that communities are not left fending for themselves with unemployment increasing and families
in need of long-term welfare But not only is the political will not currently there both major political
parties continue to support the expansion of this sunset industry and by doing so are making the transition
challenges progressively more difficult (Denniss 2012) For too many years governments have uncritically
supported the coal mining sector Entire government departments have been focused on facilitating mining
with tax incentives weakening assessment and approval processes along with providing through tax payer
money established industrial infrastructure to support new projects Government policy often seeks to grow
royalties income by supporting the extraction of as much coal as possible as an escape the challenge of
finding other ways to increase state revenue New sustainable industries in coal communities will need just as
much if not more support while it gets started
We propose that communities local businesses workers unions community groups environment groups
local government and state and federal governments all need to be involved in planning a transition to
alternative forms of economic development and providing new jobs We call this a Just Transition (Anthea
Bill amp Evans1 2008 Brecher 2012) Just Transition is a framework for a fair and sustainable shift to a low
carbon economy proposed by trade unions and supported by environmental NGOs A Just Transition holds
that a shift to a lower carbon economy is vital to avoid dangerous climate change
Bimblebox Nature Refuge
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
26 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Tough targets to cut greenhouse pollution supported by new environmental regulations and emerging carbon
markets will transform the global economy over the next decade These shifts will have major implications
for working people in energy supply industry and transport and for everyone as consumers There is a concern
that significant periods of economic restructuring in the past have often happened in a chaotic fashion
leaving ordinary workers along with their families and communities to bear the brunt of the transition to
new ways of producing wealth A just transition seeks to prevent such injustice becoming a feature of this
transition suggesting that it would not only be morally wrong and socially damaging but would undermine the
credibility of the transition itself and could slow or even halt the changes that must be made
It is through the challenges of communicating the urgency of climate change and other social and
environmental impacts that much of the debate about coal and its consequences for land water and the
climate has become unnecessarily adversarial and polarised Coal mining and power generation communities
deserve acknowledgement and appreciation for all that they have historically and currently contributed to
our country and our economy In communicating the economic shifts that are taking place and facilitating
the necessary transitions the Australian community needs to be respectful of the history and identity of coal
communities Environment groups government unions and the community need to initiate and engage in
the discussions about transitions in an open honest and compassionate manner Only by approaching the
transition in this way can the adversarial nature of the debate be broken down to make way for transformative
mutually respectful and holistic solutions
Whitsundays lsquoHave a Heart for the Reefrsquo
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 27
A just transition recognises that support for policies are conditional on a fair distribution of the costs and
benefits of those policies across the economy A just transition should also recognise that the creation of
opportunities for active engagement by those affected in determining the future wellbeing of themselves
and their families is essential for the long term empowerment of citizens and communities The following
recommendations have been written with the aim of emphasising such community empowerment as a priority
Recommendations
1) Establishing a unit within the State Government to support coal mining regions to transition to new economies
Specific institutions are needed to develop transition plans They need to have strong government support
and funding regional offices and representation from diverse stakeholders A dedicated unit within the
Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning could be established to oversee this work
They could work on the ground in the main coal mining communities to bring government expertise into
regional entities that would develop local plans that involve and empower the whole community This unit
or a connected unit would analyse existing barriers to the creation of competitive advantages for alternative
sustainable industries and would identify actions the State Government can take to support such creation
Any policy and support should come with clear conditions and timeframes These regional entities would
need generous budgets to assist local groups to develop their transition strategies to support research re-
training and the development of new business and community start-up initiatives based on the needs and
strategies of communities The key to communities becoming economically resilient is high levels of autonomy
and freedom in shaping their economic futures Research funding available to the regional entities will be
essential to the empowerment of local leadership Research funding should at least reach the OECD research
funding average and it should prioritise low carbon technologies and industry sectors with increased triple
bottom line sustainability potential
2) Support community leadership in diversifying local economies through the establishment of democratic regional entities
In each mining community a group of traditional and non-traditional community leaders willing to think
beyond lsquoBusiness as Usualrsquo to imagine a better future could be called together to work in collaboration with
and be resourced by the state government managed regional entities mentioned in recommendation one
The leaders would come from diverse backgrounds such as from local governments business associations
unions farming groups renewable energy businesses and educational institutions The objectives of these
leadership groups would be tailored to each community The objectives would in broad terms be to increase
employment in new diverse industries based on sustainable production and publicservice sector job creation
Expert facilitation alongside inclusive and democratic community engagement initiatives would be essential
to ensure the process and environment for creativity and innovation is maximised To develop such groups
it would be necessary to take stock of the existing resources skills and successful businesses on which a
new future can be built In addition an analysis of the social environmental and economic needs of the
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
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Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
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Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
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Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
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Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
28 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
community would also be beneficial These groups could then establish economic diversification projects
including value-added local production worker controlled co-operative enterprises and new community-
based enterprises that economically empower the local community Activities may also include support for
alternative industries in regard to process restructuring or subsidising the wages of workers displaced from
higher paying traditional industries
3) Support researching and communicating how the just transition can take place
Consistent research is needed on the best options to support the state and national economies to transition
This requires ongoing situational analysis of the global energy market shifts at both government levels In
addition each mining region will need assistance to research the number of jobs that are dependent on coal
the skills of those employed the level of local national and global long- and short-term risk to local mining
operations the transferability of jobs to other industries local opportunities for new enterprises and their
needs and the local educational and training needs and resources A key issue requiring research will be
around how the transitition scenarios differ depending on the level and relativity of thermal and coking coal
industries across coal mining communities The process for sourcing this information at a local and state
government level should be integrated into a policy feedback loop to support cyclical situational analysis and
policy adjustments from all levels of government This research should take place at the state level and be
encouraged at the industry and local level through grants
Mackay Central Queensland
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
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Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 29
4) Convene a just transitions state economic summit to identify socially and environmentally sustainable economic opportunities in mining communities
Many existing Queensland industries including those not highlighted in this report have the potential to
carry Queensland towards a new sustainable economy [sC5]mdashbut they will need support to do so Instead
of continuing to support and lower costs for the coal mining industry we need a plan to grow competitive
advantage across industries that have potential for sustainability and growth in regional mining communities
Along with industry and community organisations the State Government could organise a State Economic
Summit to assess existing industry clusters identify the potential of new and emerging industries consider
their competitiveness and key capabilities and identify barriers to increasing competitive advantage The
findings and recommendations from this Summit could be used to inform the work of the Unit established in
bullet point one above and the research outlined in bullet point two
5) Provide social protection of workers their families and incomes
If mines close suddenly workers need protection for their incomes and social services and possible relocation
even though many miners these days do not live in the communities where they mine Ideally these transition
plans would be developed early enough to ensure that new employment opportunities are in place for them
before mines actually close For many workers this is already too late but if the process begins now there will
be choices available for future retrenched coal workers who live in mining communities and regions Mining
companies could be incentivised andor penalised to give adequate notice to workers and other stakeholders
that closure may be impending and alternative economic opportunities need to be developed
6) Supporting Unions to play leadership roles in social dialogues and to lead worker engagement
Involving the relevant unions in the planning of community transitions can enable them to move towards
becoming more proactive agents helping to plan the transition with critical networks and specific knowledge
about the needs of their members When a coal-fired power station in Washington State USA was scheduled
for closure for environmental reasons unions played a pivotal role persuading environmentalists and others
to delay the closure long enough for a Just Transition to provide different jobs for the workers This made it
possible for the coal resource to be replaced by wind and other renewable generation rather than natural
gasmdasha better environmental outcome and the unions became an active part in the phase out planning
Unions have a heavy workload defending workers rights and pay They need to be supported and financed to
play important roles in community transitions From facilitation and leadership of planning bodies career
planning and advice preferential hiring for displaced workers in the new alternative emerging industries and
leading the establishment of work controlled cooperatives unions have an essential role to play
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
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After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
30 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
7) Provide training opportunities for coal workers and communities
Retraining is crucial Many mine workers and workers directly supporting industries are from other sectors
They were attracted by the high rates of pay and had to learn new skills to do their jobs Some of those
skills will be transferable to other industriesmdashquarries earthmoving for building electrical and wastewater
management trades Preventative action should be taken through mandating coal mining companies to
fund education and training for their workers that give them skills for other industries Funding should be
made available for training programs to assist retrenched workers from the coal industry to attain continued
retraining and re-education Re-education could include subsidising a worker at a full living income level for a
maximum of four years to undertake training for careers that support the establishment of the new economy in
their community
8) Mandate adequate security deposits and progressive signoff for best practice mine site rehabilitation
There are over 50000 abandoned mines in Australia and an estimated 15000 in Queensland alone (Hutton
2013) Effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health safety environmental
and socioeconomic risks and opportunities that abandoned mines pose to mining communities Instead
the mis-management and poor application of weak government regulations means that many mines are still
being closed and not rehabilitated properly A common practice that must be eliminated is that liabilities
from large mine sites are sold on to smaller companies who after mining the remaining resources lack the
resources to rehabilitate mine sites to adequate standards (Hutton 2013) The Queensland Government can
choose to change this and by doing so create jobs in mining communities through restoring agricultural land
or by reforesting mine sites This can be achieved by increasing mining security deposits to ensure that the
full cost of third party mine site rehabilitation is progressively implemented and signed off by governments
throughout the life of the mine In addition action needs to be taken to prevent mining companies selling
off mines where they have not fulfilled their rehabilitation responsibilities Just as James Hardie was
prevented from moving its assets offshore into a subsidiary entity to avoid paying asbestos compo so too
the big mining companies should be prevented from lsquocutting freersquo loss making coal mines to get out of their
rehab responsibilities To take a holistic approach the Queensland Government should support the nationally
coordinated implementation of the AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement that includes the actions
described above and more detailed policy changes (Unger 2013)
9) Remove all subsidies and tax payer funded support to coal mining
Historically the Queensland Government has offered and provided incentives and added advantages to the
coal mining industry that have not been received in equal application by other industries (Peel 2014)
All subsidies to the coal industry should be reviewed to ensure this practice is not lsquodisadvantaging other
industries creating windfall profits or providing an implicit guarantee to support investment decisions that
turn out to be uncompetitiversquo (Hayman 2014)
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 31
10) Sound investment and resource revenue management
Discussing what economic mechanisms will be needed and how they will operate will be an essential step
in ensuring funding is available for the policy measures below In many similar situations around the world
lsquoSeverance Trust Fundsrsquo otherwise known as Sovereign Wealth Funds set up specifically for diversifying
resource regions have been promoted and implemented such as in West Virginia (Boettner 2012) Along
with ending coal mining subsidies some part of the royalties from coal mining should be set aside to help
fund the transition Royalties are very low by international standards and should be increased to help fund the
Just Transition described Such funding could provide funds for industry-government partnerships that would
develop sustainable jobs in highly mining dependent regions especially those with few other opportunities for
their community
Carmichael River
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
32 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Conclusion
The reality of the coal industry in Queensland is that the concentration of its operations and employment
in coal communities is leaving communities in great risk of disruptive global economic change It is not
acceptable for the state as a whole to benefit from the royalties from coal while leaving the communities
working in the mines and in power stations with few economic alternatives or assistance to turn towards as the
industries sunset gets closer and closer
There is another economic future possible not only for coal mine workers but for coal mining communities
but governments need to take action to support communities to determine their future The State Government
should implement these recommendations as soon as possible to ensure that the future of coal communities
in Queensland is one of hope and excitement For any community in the presence of such a volatile and
aggressive industry support is needed to make a just transition and relieve the current uncertainty brought on
by such a risky industry
Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 33
References
ABC Online (2014) Coal lsquogood for humanityrsquo Prime Minister Tony Abbott says at $39b Queensland mine opening httpwwwabcnetaunews2014-10-13coal-is-good-for-humanity-pm-tony-abbott-says5810244 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
After Coal (2015) Community Regeneration West Virginia United States httpaftercoalcomengage-your-community Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Allen S (2011) Renewable Energy for Far North Queensland Cairns and Far North Queensland Environment Centre Cairns Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Arabella Advisors (2015) Measuring the Growth of the Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement httpwwwarabellaadvisorscomwp-contentuploads201509Measuring-the-Growth-of-the-Divestment-Movementpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) Australian National Accounts State Accounts 2012ndash13 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015) MackaymdashCensus Employment by IndustrymdashTime Series Australian Government Department of Employment Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government Department for Education and Training (2015) Draft National Strategy for International Education Canberra Australian Capital Territory Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Australian Government (2014) Export income to Australia from international education activity in 2013ndash14 Canberra Australia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
BHP Billiton (2013) Coal Briefing httpwwwbhpbillitoncom~mediabhpdocumentsinvestorsreports2013130529_coalbriefingpdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baker D R (2014) In the Depths The Economist httpwwweconomistcomnewsbusiness21647287-more-countries-turn-against-coal-producers-face-prolonged-weakness-prices-depths Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Baxter C Fitzsimons J amp Penwarden P (2014) Jobs after Coal Auckland New Zealand httpscoalactionnetworkaotearoafileswordpresscom201405jobs_after_coal_may2104_lowrespdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2012) Laggard to Leader How Australia Can Lead the World to Zero Carbon Prosperity Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Beyond Zero Emissions (2014) A Fossil Economy in a Changing World Melbourne University Melbourne Victoria httpmediabzeorgaufossileconomyFossilEconomypdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Bill A Mitchell W Welters R Rutovitz J amp Evans G (2008) A Just Transition to a Renewable Energy Economy in the Hunter Region Australia Policy report to Greenpeace Australia Pacific by Center of Full Employment and Equity
Bleby M (2013 June 20th 2013) Mackay struggles with mining boomrsquos end Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcommarketscommoditiesmetalsmackay-struggles-with-mining-booms-end-20130620-jhnal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Boettner T Kriesky J McIlmoil R amp Paulhus E (2012) Creating an economic diversification trust fund Turning nonrenewable natural resources into sustainable wealth for West Virginia Centre for Finance and Budget Policy West Virginga United States Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Branco J (2015) Adani Carmichael mine to create 1464 jobs not 10000 Brisbane Times httpwwwbrisbanetimescomauqueenslandadani-carmichael-mine-to-create-1464-jobs-not-10000-20150427-1mumbghtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Brecher J (2012) Jobs Beyond Coal A Manual for Communities Workers and Environmentalists Asia Pacific Green Jobs Network Retrieved 23 June 2015
Buckley T (2014) Briefing Note Fossil Fuels Energy Transition amp Risk Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201407IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Investor-Briefing_21-July-2014pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015a) Adani Remote Prospects Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpieefaorgwp-contentuploads201509IEEFA-Briefing-Note_Adani-Remote-Prospects_Sept-2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015b) Global Energy Markets in Transition Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Sydney Australia httpwwwieefaorgwp-contentuploads201501IEEFA-BRIEFING-NOTE-Global-Energy-Markets-in-Transition_Final_15Jan2015pdf Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Buckley T (2015c) Rio Tintorsquos Restructuring Signals a Global Industry Step Away From Coal Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis httpieefaorgrio-tintos-restructuring-signals-a-global-industry-step-away-from-coal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Burrell A (2014) Coal facing a lsquostructural declinersquo The Australian Sydney Australiahttpwwwtheaustraliancomaubusinessin-depthcoal-facing-a-structural-declinestory-fnivd8cj-1226671643971 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
34 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Caldecott B Tilbury J amp Ma Y (2013) Stranded Down Under Environment-related factors changing Chinarsquos demand for coal and what this means for Australian coal assets Oxford University United Kingdom
Campaign Against Climate Change (2010) One Million Climate Jobs London United Kingdom httpwwwcampaignccorggreenjobs Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Campbell R (2014) The Mouse That Roars Coal in the Queensland Economy The Australia Institute Canberra Australia Carbon Tracker (2015) Unburnable CarbonmdashAre the worldrsquos financial markets carrying a carbon bubble httpwwwcarbontrackerorgreportcarbon-bubble Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Carrington D (2015) Worldrsquos biggest sovereign wealth fund dumps dozens of coal companies The Guardian 5 httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015feb05worlds-biggest-sovereign-wealth-fund-dumps-dozens-of-coal-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (2015) Politics of Climate Change in Asia httpcsisorgprogrampolitics-climate-change-asia Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Clarke P (2014) FTSE joins Blackrock to help investors avoid fossil fuels Financial Times wwwftcomcmss014787a44-cef6-11e3-ac8d-00144feabdc0html Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cleary P (2015) Coal Crash What it means for Australia The Monthly Essay October 2015
Coulter T (2015) We Traveled Across China and Returned Terrified for the Economy BloombergBusiness httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-04-09we-travelled-across-china-and-returned-terrified-for-the-economy Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Cox L (2015) Complaint lodged with ASX over Adani job claims for Carmichael mine The Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinessmining-and-resourcescomplaint-lodged-with-asx-over-adani-job-claims-for-carmichael-mine-20150513-gh0tblhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2012) Queensland TourismmdashIndustry Outlook and Potential to 2020 Department of Tourism Major Events Small Business and Commonwealth Games Queensland Government Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Deloitte Access Economics (2014) Economic impact of a future tropical biorefinery industry in Queensland Prepared for qutbluebox Canberra Australia
Denniss R (2012) Too much of a good thing The Australia Institute Canberra Australia
Dove (2015) Dove Workshop 2015 httpwwwdoveworkshoporguk Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Dr Tien Duc Pham G B Justin Marshall (2015) The economic impact of the current mining boom on the Australian tourism industry Tourism Research Australia Department of Resources Energy and Tourism Canberra Australia
Earthworker Cooperative (2015) About Us Melbourne Victoria httpearthworkercooperativecomauour-mission Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Edis T (2015) Frydenberg Adani lsquoneeds to stand on its own two feetrsquo Climate Spectator httpwwwbusinessspectatorcomauarticle2015109policy-politicsfrydenberg-adani-needs-stand-its-own-two-feet Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Greenpeace Australia Pacific (2012) Cooking the Climate Wrecking the Reef Sydney NSW Australia
Guterres E (2014) Queensland looks to Asia for tourism growth Commonwealth Bank httpswwwmywealthcommbankcomaueconomyqueensland-looks-to-asia-to-build-tourism-growth-news20140918 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hayman M (2014) All Boom No BenefitmdashWhy Queensland needs a new economic strategy Centre for Policy Development Sydney New South Wales
Health and Community Services Workforce Council (2013) Health and Community Services Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report 2013 Brisbane Queensland
Heath J (2014) lsquoNot Asiarsquos food bowl Joyce Queensland Country Life Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hewson J (2015) The real villains in Australiarsquos renewables debacle Three big energy companies The Guardian httpwww theguardiancomcommentisfree2015mar26the-real-villains-in-australias-renewables-debacle-three-big-energy-companies Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hintermann F (2013) Third Industrial Revolution Master Plan Nord-Pas de Calais region TIR Consulting Group LLC Paris France
Hope M (2014) Climate policy goes commercial EON takes advantage of the new economics of a low carbon energy market Carbon Brief httpwwwcarbonbrieforgclimate-policy-goes-commercial-e-on-takes-advantage-of-the-new-economics-of-a-low-carbon-energy- market Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Hutton D (2013) Mining the Queensland Way Lock the Gate Brisbane Queensland
IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013 Summary for Policymakers Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom
Jenda M (2015) New coal mines have Buckleyrsquos chance as China cuts consumption analyst ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-03-23coal-mines-have-buckleys-chance-as-china-cuts-consumption6341996 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (2015) New Energy and Transition Kentucky United States httpswwwkftcorgissuesnew-energy-and-transition Retrieved 18th of May 2015
Leaton J (2013) Unburnable Carbon 2013 Wasted Capital and Stranded Assets London UK Retrieved 10th of November 2015
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 35
Macleod M (2013) US Steel Natural gas process will soon replace coke Hamilton Spectator httpwwwthespeccomnews-story4190319-u-s-steel-natural-gas-process-will-soon-replace-coke Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mathieson K (2015) Gas surges ahead of coal in US power generation The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2015jul14gas-surges-ahead-of-coal-in-us-power-generation Retrieved 10th of November 2015
McGuiggan R (2014) Tropical North Queensland The Potential for international education in a changing education environment James Cook University Cairns Queensland
Neubauer I (2015) The Aussie towns destroyed by Chinarsquos economic slowdown Newscomau httpwwwnewscomaufinancebusinessthe-aussie-towns-destroyed-by-chinas-economic-slowdownstory-fnkgdg1h-1227262601440 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ng J (2015) Pimco Warns on China Steel as Goldman Sees Production Declining Bloomberg Businesshttpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2015-03-13pimco-warns-on-china-s-steel-demand-outlook-as-housing-cools Retrieved 10th of November 2015
One Million Climate Job Campaign (2015) About London United Kingdom httpclimatejobsorgzaabout Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Paton J (2013) Renewable Energy now cheaper than new fossil fuels in Australia Bloomberg New Energy Finance httpwwwbloombergcomnewsarticles2013-02-06australia-wind-energy-cheaper-than-coal-natural-gas-bnef-says Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Peel C amp Denniss R (2014) Mining the age of entitlement State government assistance to the minerals and fossil fuel sector The Australia Institute Canberra Australian Capital Territory
Quandlcom (2015) Coal Markets httpswwwquandlcomcollectionsmarketscoal Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Aquacultural Industry Federation (2015) Industry Strategy httpwwwaquaculturequeenslandcomaboutindustry-strategyhtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government (2014) The Queensland Plan Queenslandersrsquo 30-year vision Retrieved 10th of November Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2014) Queensland Coal Industry 5 Year Summary 2012ndash13 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2009) The Queensland Renewable Energy Plan A Clean Energy Future for Queensland Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Discussion paper Strategic direction for the development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector July 2010 Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (2010) Strategic directions for development of the Queensland bio-based industrial products sector Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines (2013) Queenslandrsquos coalmdashmines and advanced projects analysis of company websites and annual reports Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Local Government and Planning (2012) The Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Plan Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday Regional Planning Committee Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2012) Queenslandrsquos Agricultural Strategy A 2040 vision to double the value of production Brisbane Queensland
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (2015) Home Page httpswwwqticcomau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Parkinson G (2015) Queensland Commits to 50 Renewable Target by 2030 REneweconomy httpreneweconomycomau2015queensland-commits-to-50-renewable-target-by-2030 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2012) Mackay Local Government Area Regional Economic Profile Mackay Queensland
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2013) Regional Economic Profile MackaymdashIsaacmdashWhitsunday March 2013 Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Regional Economic Development Corporation (2014) Report Business Lifestyle Opportunity Mackay Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Riftkin J (2015) The Third Industrial Revolution httpthethirdindustrialrevolutioncom Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Robins B (2014 August 12) Coal mining downturn to be prolonged Sydney Morning Herald httpwwwsmhcomaubusinesscarbon-economycoal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fihtml Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Rohr D (2014) Burned Out Chinarsquos Rebalancing Heralds the End of Coalrsquos Growth Story Morningstar httpwwwmorningstarcomadvisorstocksstorage-technologyhtm Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Ryan P (2015) Newcastle Council abandons fossil fuel investments ABC Online httpwwwabcnetaunews2015-08-27newcastle-abandons-fossil-fuel-investments6728900 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Sandersen H (2015) Sinking iron ore price hits smaller producers Financial Times httpwwwftcomintlcms Retrieved 10th of November 2015
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
36 | JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
JOBS AFTER COAL A Just Transition for Queensland | 37
Saunders A (2015) Coal always wins and will stay No1 says carbon king Boyce Australian Financial Review httpwwwafrcompbusinesscompaniescoal_always_wins_and_will_stay_boyce_c14YrmhAsWrqh02HpCb82H Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Spelitis (2015) New net-free zones stun commerical fisherman The Observer httpwwwgladstoneobservercomaunewsnew-no-go-zones-stun-fishermen2555334 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stanford J (2014) What are the Benefits of Mining in Queensland Brisbane Queensland Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Stuart N (2011) Orkney Islands provide a glimpse of a renewable energy future The Guardian httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Mayer S (2015) Diversify now warns UN climate boss Christiana Figueres The Australian Sydney Australia httpwwwtheaustraliancomaunational-affairsclimatediversify-now-warns-un-climate-boss-christiana-figueresstory-e6frg6xf-1227339401031sv=9e61d05ecac1a06d643df37e8425d1a5 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
The Climate Institute (2011) Clean Energy Jobs Snapshot Regional Queensland Sydney New South Wales
The Solar Foundation (2015) Solar Foundation Annual Report Washington DC United States httpwwwthesolarfoundationorgaboutannual-report Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Unger C (2013) Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines an overview of current status and AusIMM membersrsquo perspectives AusIMM Sustainability Committee Australia
University of Queensland (2015) Australiarsquos first biodegradable plastic is reducing waste httpwwwuqeduauresearchresearch-at-uqbiodegradable-plastic Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Victorian Government Department of Water and Agriculture (2012) Inquiries Aquaculture Skills Formation StrategyWorkforce Action Plan httpwwwparliamentvicgovau Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Vorrath S (2014) Coal generates just 12 of Qld jobsmdashnot 13 ReNew Economy httpreneweconomycomau2014coal-generates-just-1-2-qld-jobs-13-74753 Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Wilson W T (2013) Hitting the Sweet Spot The Growth of the Middle Class in Emerging Markets Ernst and Young London UK httpwwwtheguardiancomenvironment2011sep20orkney-renewable-energy-future Retrieved 10th of November 2015
Photo Credits
Photos were used from the creative commons license Flickr by attribution
We would like to thank
Cover (and p9) Solar installation 100 Renewable
piindashiii Bowen Basin coal mine and surrounding land GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p1 Queensland coal train Andrew Quilty
p3 Abbot Point Qld GreenpeaceTom Jefferson
p6 Windmill and wind farm Musselroe Wind Farm Tasmania Bob Burton
p10 Coal power station GreenpeaceSewell
p15 Grain harvest Kate Ausburn
p16 (collage) Vineyard in the Hunter Valley Sunflowers in the Loverpool Plains Cropland close up Cow Gloucester all Lock the Gate Alliance
p17 (collage) Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef off the Whitsunday Islands GreenpeaceMichael Amendolia Schooling fairy basslets Great Barrier Reef GreensMPs
p19 Sorghum fields Spring Ridge Liverpool Plains NSW Max Phillips (Jeremy Buckingham MLC)
p20 Gemasolar solar thermal power station SpainGreenpeaceMarkel Redondo
p21 Queensland leading the solar charge Climate Commission (RIP)
p22 Hazelwood Power Station La Trobe Valley Vic Greenpeace Hunt
p25 Bimblebox Nature Refuge Neil Humphries
p26 Whitsundays ldquoHave a Heart for the Reefrdquo Corrin Stickland
p28 Mackay Queensland Australia Suzanne
p31 Carmichael River Tom Jefferson
p32 Polluted water from a Central Queensland mine Lock the Gate Alliance
IBC Farmland flanked by a mine Bulga NSW Kate Ausburn
BC Challicum Hills wind farm Vic Beyond Zero Emissions
Farmland flanked by a mine
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-
Challicum Hills wind farm Victoria
wwwqldconservationorgau
350orgau
- Jobs After Coal A just transition for Queensland (November 2015)
- Publication details
- Contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Key recommendations for the State Government of Queensland
- 1Coalrsquos current role in the Queensland economy
-
- Coal in the Queensland economy
- Revenue and economic activity generated by the coal Industry
- Coal industry jobs and their locations
- Summary
-
- 2The drivers of change in the coal industry
-
- Drivers of change
- The international coal price
- International mining companies
- The outlook for coal prices
- The carbon bubble
- Summary
-
- 3Assessing some of the economic opportunities in mining regions
-
- Introduction
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Tourism and recreational fishing
- Higher education
- Bio-industrial products
- Renewable energy
-
- 4Community transitions Global case studies
-
- La Trobe Valley
- Banwen
- Orkney
- Nord-Pas De Calais
- Appalachia (Kentucky)
-
- 5A just transition for coal mining communities policy recommendations
-
- Recommendations
-
- Conclusion
- References
-