27/07/2005 - Greenpeace
activists disrupt coal loading at the world's
largest coal port with the message to the
world about Australia's contribution to global
climate change and to demand that Australia
'quit coal' and move to sustainable renewable
energy.
As the Rainbow Warrior blocked the port, locals
cheered from the wharf and on small boats
in support of clean energy, and against dirty
coal. Meanwhile, activists from Greenpeace
Australia occupied a huge coal loader and
a massive 2.5 million tonne coal stockpile.
They were later arrested, along with the Rainbow
Warrior's captain.
Our campaigner, Ben Pearson explained why
we are blocking the port: "Newcastle
exports 80 million tonnes of coal to the world
each year and every tonne returns to us as
climate change. Every hour that we stopped
coal loading we prevented at least 16,000
tonnes of greenhouse pollution from leaving."
"We are exposing Australia's dangerous
addiction to coal export dollars. To protect
our own future, we have to quit coal and take
part in the clean energy revolution."
Climate change in Australia is predicted
to cause worse droughts, bushfires, storms
and floods. Australia fuels these impacts
at home and across the globe by exporting
more coal than any other country.
Because of its huge coal industry Australia
is not surprisingly best buddies with the
US Bush administration when it comes to delaying/diluting/destroying
international action to tackle climate change.
Another way
But there is an better alternative: For every
unit of energy produced by conventional fossil
fuels, we could create three to five more
jobs in renewable energy than we have in coal.
In Newcastle the local community has suffered
as the coal industry has cut jobs.
"I think what Greenpeace did today was
good for drawing attention to the problem
and there needs to be more funding and more
attention on renewable energy," said
local resident Warren Keen.
The Rainbow Warrior is in Australia to spread
the message that there is no future in dirty
fuels like coal and help coal-dependent communities
make the transition to sustainable industries
and jobs.
People say that coal is an industry Australia
cannot afford to lose. But, living on the
front line of climate change, the truth is
that coal is an industry Australia, and the
world, can't afford.
