Kestrel Mine

Kestrel Mine is a facility operated by Kestrel Coal Group Pty Ltd in QLD. Like all covered facilities, industrial operations generate significant emissions. Under Australia's Safeguard Mechanism, Kestrel Mine must keep its annual emissions below a stepping-down baseline — or purchase carbon credits to cover any overage.

In 2024–25, Kestrel Mine reported emissions of 1.26 Mt against a baseline obligation of 708 kt — an overage of 555 kt. The facility covered the overage through a combination of ACCUs and SMCs.

Purchasing credits is legal and intended by the Safeguard Mechanism's design — the policy deliberately allows facilities to choose between cutting on-site emissions or funding abatement elsewhere in the economy. Whether credit purchases represent genuine long-term decarbonisation depends on whether the facility's absolute emissions are trending down over time. The chart above shows the trajectory since reporting began. This question applies to all covered facilities under the Safeguard Mechanism, not Kestrel Mine specifically.

Among 8 comparable facilities, 8 reported emissions above their baseline in 2024–25. The table below compares Kestrel Mine with other facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism in the same classification.