An influential parliamentary panel wants to see an end to the use of coal-fired power plants – unless they can adopt “clean” technology in the near future, Yourmedway reports.
The Environment Audit Committee’s report recommends that Government set a deadline by which all power stations must reduce the amount of harmful emissions being pumped into the atmosphere.
The success of this will depend on whether carbon capture storage systems (CSS) can be made to work.
The in-depth report concludes: “By setting such a deadline and making its intentions clear a strong signal will be sent to the power generation industry about the future of coal and the importance of CSS.”
The EAC’s recommendations could sway Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision on whether to allow new coal-fired power stations - such as the two units planned for Kingsnorth on the Hoo peninsula.
World Development Movement climate policy officer Tim Jones welcomed the report, saying: “The Government should be closing down dirty coal power stations, not allowing new ones to be built.
“The Government should also certainly not be relying on CSS – an unproven technology – to justify new coal power stations.”
These sentiments were backed by screen icon Robert Redford last week, who released a statement through the WDM.
The veteran actor and director’s letter was read at the ‘Kent, coal and climate change’ evening at Fort Amherst in Chatham – held just weeks ahead of the planned Camp for Climate Action protest, expected to be attended by more than 2,000 eco-activists.
Mr Redford’s statement read: “Coal power plants are bad for public health; they are bad for the environment close by in proximity as well as much farther away, as pollution is taken by wind and water; they contribute greatly to climate impacts in a highly negative manner; and thus are ultimately very bad for the local and larger economies.
“It is ultimately a bad investment on all levels. There are sensible alternatives involving conservation and sustainable sources of energy, which have none of coal’s negative impacts.”
The Camp for Climate Action is set to take place on ground neighbouring Kingsnorth power station. The precise location has yet to be revealed.
Site owners E.ON yesterday applied to the Royal Courts of Justice to extend an injunction against any would-be eco-intruders during the week-long protest.
The application would prohibit protestors from the airspace above the power station and from the sea and jetty around the station.
The camp’s Davy Jones said: “E.ON seem to be running scared, as they return to the High Court to try to stem the groundswell of opposition to their plans.”
POSTED: 23/07/2008 08:00:00
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