In NSW there are proposals for 23 new mines in addition to extension applications for existing projects. If approved the projects would have a combined annual production of more than 155 million tonnes, or the equivalent of 15 new Adani-sized mines.

These proposals follow the doubling of production from 130 million tonnes in 2000 to 260 million tonnes in 2014.

The Australia Institute argues production peaked in 2014 and the new projects could not be justified.

This was supported by data showing existing mines are mostly operating below capacity, plans to expand the export capacity of the Port of Newcastle were scrapped in 2018 due to lack of world demand and estimates of capacity required for the Hunter coal railways have been revised down.

"World demand for coal is falling, not rising. Trying to build 10 new Adani mines worth of coal mines in the Upper Hunter at precisely the time world demand for coal is falling is absurd," Dr Richard Denniss, chief economist at the Australia Institute, said.

Dr Denniss said approving new projects only offered false hope to Hunter communities and locked away huge parts of the region.

"New coal mine approvals destroy prime Australian farmland, which impacts current and future investment in Australia's agriculture, wine, and tourism industries, leaving significant liabilities for the NSW Government and lasting scars on the Upper Hunter," he said.

"What we need is a moratorium on the approval of new coal mines, so the NSW Government can look at all of the applications currently in train and develop a cohesive plan. At the moment there are more mines seeking approval than could ever be handled by the rail networks and the Port of Newcastle, let alone the world's coal customers."

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Head of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board, Malcolm Turnbull said a comprehensive plan and moratorium was needed to replace the focus on coal royalties.

But the NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee hit back saying the NSW Government had a sound coal strategy.

"Given the importance of coal to NSW Malcom should read it - 12,000 Hunter coal miners don't need another incredibly rich guy from Sydney telling them what's good for them," he said.

Singleton GP and Doctors for the Environment spokesman Bob Vickers said mining and the transportation and burning of coal was having significant health impacts on Hunter communities.

Burning coal emits hazardous air pollutants, including particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, mercury and arsenic.

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"These pollutants contribute to the leading causes of death in our society: heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer. Coal pollutants can affect lung development in children and trigger asthma attacks," Dr Vickers said.

"The air pollution in the Hunter Valley is consistently breaching national standards.

"There is pollution of fine particulates (PM10) in excess of World health Organization standards at a number of monitoring sites. And there is growing recognition that there is no safe level for the finest dust particles.

"This pollution is likely to be impacting on the health of locals; similar levels of pollution in many countries do increase the incidence of several heart and lung diseases and decrease life expectancy."

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