Australia fights ruling of duty to prevent climate change

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian government has begun its legal challenge to a judge’s landmark decision that the administration has a duty of care to prevent future climate change in a case brought by eight teenagers. The Federal Court battle over a proposed coal mine expansion comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison battles to persuade his conservative government colleagues to commit to a net zero emissions target for Australia by 2050. The legal battle was started by a group of eight Australian teenage environmentalists who attempted to force the government to ban an expansion of Whitehaven Coal’s Vickery mine. Environment Minister Sussan Ley has since approved the mine expansion.