Press release - December 8, 2008
UDIPI, India — A National Network of Movements Opposing Coal Fired Power Plants was kick started at Udipi, Karnataka on the 6th of December, the Global Day of Action on Climate Change. Various people’s movements from across the country met at Udipi on the 6th and 7th of December to form a national level platform to organise and offer non-violent and informed opposition and resistance to Coal Fired Thermal Power Plants (CFTPPs).
Bhola, 7 and Chandal, 5 have stopped attending the school to help their mothers to pick up coal. They both said to have a dream to become policemen and save the people.
"India should rethink its addiction to coal power because it is
one of the dirtiest sources of energy today. It involves
displacement of communities and disregard to their constitutional
right to life and livelihood, causes irreparable damage to the
local environment and health of people, and in addition is now
established as a major contributor to climate change." said Dr.
Ashok Kundapur, from Udipi. "There is an urgent need to coordinate
the people's struggles in the country towards preventing impacts of
unsustainable development and to demand a sustainable energy
policy." he added while announcing the launch of the network.
A common charter was formed to make the platform an influential
voice in the debate on people's development, energy and climate
change. The aims of the network are to challenge the current
expansion of CFTPPs and to shift the focus to energy efficiency and
clean renewable technologies.
"Climate Change is pushing the world on the brink of
catastrophe and it is imperative that all countries take decisive
action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. India should see the
climate change crisis as an opportunity for a low carbon
development pathway. Nothing less than an Energy [R]evolution,
phasing out coal and ensuring massive uptake of clean and renewable
energy will secure our energy needs even as we contribute to the
global struggle to combat climate change." said Vinuta Gopal,
Climate and Energy campaigner Greenpeace India.
"The detrimental effects of emissions from coal fired power
plants on health and livelihood of down wind and downstream
communities have driven people of Prachuab Kiri Kahn in Thailand
and Iloilo in the Philippines to drive out proposals of new build
of coal plants and instead seek investments in decentralised
renewable energy options to power their future," said Mr.
Shailendra Yashwant, Campaigns Director, Greenpeace South East
Asia. "There is a worldwide tide against coal, and it was only a
question of when, not whether coal would be a fossil dinosaur one
day," he added.
Representatives of people's movements from Chattisgarh, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Orissa and Karnataka were present
at the event in Udipi. The event has been organized in Udipi to
lend support to the people's movement against the Nagarjuna coal
Fired Thermal power plant here.
For further information, contact
• Vinuta Gopal- Climate and Energy campaigner, Greenpeace India, +91 98455 35418, 
• Dr. Ashok Kundapur, 9880305526, 
• Preethi Herman – Communications Officer, Greenpeace India, +91 99014 88482 
Notes to Editor
Greenpeace’s report ‘True Cost of coal’ can be downloaded at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/cost-of-coal