The federal government claims there is a "strong moral case" to go ahead with a controversial Queensland coal mine.
But the Greens say that argument is deranged.
Adani's proposed mine, slated for the Galilee Basin, received another green light from the federal government on Thursday.
Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg argues the coal from the project can help lift hundreds of millions of people out of energy poverty in India and across the world.
"I think there is a strong moral case here," Mr Frydenberg told ABC TV on Sunday.
"More than two billion people today are using wood and dung for their cooking," Mr Frydenberg said.
He pointed to World Health Organisation statistics showing there are 4.3 million premature deaths world wide each year from illness attributable to household air pollution from the inefficient use of solid fuels.
"That's more people dying through those sort of inefficient forms of energy than from malaria, from tuberculosis and HIV AIDS all combined," Mr Frydenberg said.
Greens deputy leader Larissa Waters described Mr Frydenberg's moral case for coal argument as "deranged".
“Four out of five people without electricity in India are not connected to an electricity grid so can’t access coal-fired power,” she said.
The much cheaper, healthier option was localised renewable energy, Senator Waters said.
“There’s a strong moral case for Australia to help develop the renewable energy technology that will safely provide people in developing countries with power."
Meanwhile, Mr Frydenberg hinted that Adani was unlikely to get access to any cash under the $5 billion northern Australia infrastructure concessional loan kitty.
"This wouldn't be a priority project for us," he said.
Asked if Adani will be seeking taxpayer subsidies, Mr Frydenberg said it was a "commercial operation and needs to stand on its own two feet".
