PROTESTERS that busted into the boardroom at Whitehaven Coal's Newcastle office have been arrested after they served a 'cease and desist' order on its plans to build new mines and expand existing ones.
Police arrested five teenagers from the grassroots climate group Rising Tide on Monday after they refused to leave the office - demanding the end of Newcastle coal exports by 2030.
Among them was 2020 Newcastle Young Citizen of the Year, 19-year-old Alexa Stuart, who said she is terrified of the impacts of climate change if action isn't taken now.
"Already we're seeing rolling climate disasters like bushfires and floods and they're having devastating impacts - that's just going to get worse unless we take real action now," she said.
"I'm doing everything in my power to make sure I have a safe future because the last thing I want is to grow up wishing I had done more to prevent this crisis, because I just don't think that's a girl I could live with."
The teenagers and 20 supporters all demanded Whitehaven Coal drop its three expansion projects at Vickery, Winchester South and Narrabri Stage 3.
They called on the Albanese government to block all new coal projects, including the Whitehaven projects federal Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek has been legally requested to reassess for their climate impacts.
The group also called and sent text messages to Whitehaven company executives, including chief executive Paul Flynn and board chair Mark Vaile before police escorted them out.
Whitehaven Coal has declined to comment on the matter at this stage.
In its 2022 Sustainability Report, it acknowledges the production and consumption of coal contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
"We also recognise the challenge of integrating international and domestic emissions reduction efforts with the legitimate economic and social development aspirations of people, communities and countries," the report said.
"The transition to a lower-carbon future will involve significant changes across the economy."
In the report, Whitehaven committed to identifying and implementing measures at each point of its value chain to reduce emissions and supporting "relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals".
Ms Stuart said the aim of the protest was to demand attention on the issue in a way where it can't be ignored.
"Whitehaven wants to double coal production by 2030, that is insane when all of the science is telling us we need to decarbonise," she said.
"I think young people, we have the most at stake here, we're all really scared about how climate change is going to impact our future and I think it's important for older generations to act and push for change as well."
The letter Rising Tide served argues Whitehaven's plans are "contrary to the critical Paris Climate Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C" and that its actions are "a direct threat to our future, and impinges our human rights".
It said that if it doesn't cease coal expansion, Rising Tide will escalate a civil resistance campaign to physically disrupt the export of coal from Newcastle's port.
Also at the protest was Pokolbin 17-year-old Ivy Lane, who said she's losing sleep at night because she's crippled by climate anxiety.
"I have already personally felt the catastrophic consequences of climate change with many of my childhood friends losing their homes in Lismore and my pop watching in fear as the water rose," she said.
"The burning of fossil fuels is the reason why this happened and why so many of my friends are still living in tents.
"We need to stop mining and burning coal immediately before these disasters get any worse."
Rising Tide will hold its next protest on Friday at 5:30pm outside MP Sharon Claydon's office, finishing at Whitehaven Coal.
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