Greenpeace launches a Stop Global Warming balloon over the Mae Moh coal plant in Lampang, Thailand.
As governments from around the world prepare for the Earth
Summit next week in Johannesburg, Greenpeace launched a hot air
balloon with the message "Save the Climate - Stop Global Warming"
over Mae Moh, the biggest coal-fired power station in South East
Asia, to protest against the continuing growth of fossil fuels
globally.
"Climate change starts right here at Mae Moh and everywhere we
continuously and recklessly burn fossil fuels," said Athena
Ballesteros, Greenpeace South East Asia campaigns manager. "Climate
change is the biggest environmental threat facing the planet and
developing countries like Thailand are most vulnerable to its
effects on agriculture, livelihoods and major ecosystems.
"Fossil fuels are a dirty, old fashioned way to generate
electricity and have no place in the 21st century, yet globally,
rich developed countries are continuing to push these
climate-damaging technologies on the developing world.
Hypocritically, many of these same countries are pretending to do
something about climate change at home while dumping their dirty
technology abroad."
Greenpeace is calling on governments around the world to make a
commitment at the Earth Summit to provide affordable renewable
energy to the two billion people around the world who live without
electricity, to phase out all subsidies to fossil and nuclear
fuels, and to ensure that 10% of energy is provided by renewable
resources by 2010. Greenpeace is also seeking a commitment that
international financial institutions be required to move 20% of
their energy investments to clean, renewable energy.
Mae Moh is the oldest, largest and dirtiest fossil-fuel power
plant in Thailand. The power station complex covers135 km2 of open
cut lignite coal mine and includes 13 power generation units. The
mine has operated since 1955. Construction of the power plant units
began in 1975 and the last unit was completed in 1995.
"Mae Moh is a typical example of power stations built in the
developing world with money from rich countries, seeking to make
profits by exporting dirty polluting technology which would not be
acceptable in the North," said Ballesteros. "For example the last
coal fired power station built in the UK was completed in 1972. Yet
the UK, through its Export Credit Guarantee Department has funded
fossil fuel and nuclear power generation projects worth
US$2.7billion each year, during the last ten years."
The USA and Australia - two of the countries doing their utmost
to derail international action on climate change, are also
encouraging fossil fuel dependence in the developing world. US
corporation Mirant owns and operates some of the biggest coal fired
power stations in the Philippines, such as Sual and Pagbilao
coal-fired power stations. Edison, another US company - in
conjunction with a consortium of US, Hong Kong, Japanese and Thai
corporations - is proposing to build two power stations in the Thai
province of Prachuab Khiri Khan. Greenpeace is supporting local
residents who have campaigned against the proposal for the past 8
years.
Australia provides most of the Philippines' imported coal and
wants to expand its Thai market to provide coal for the Edison
projects. The UK French corporation, Alstom, has provided
technology for several existing coal fired power plants in South
East Asia, including Sual in the Philippines, and is planning
more.
"Like developing countries around the world, Thailand is hungry
for clean, reliable and affordable power," said Ballesteros. "This
will only happen if foreign investments coming into the country are
diverted away from fossil fuel projects to clean projects like
solar, wind and modern biomass. "
The balloon protest is part of the Greenpeace Choose Positive
Energy tour of South East Asia with the ship MV Arctic Sunrise.
Throughout the tour, the ship's crew, the staff from the Greenpeace
office of Southeastasia and other Greenpeace offices have worked
with local communities in Thailand and the Philippines to fight the
development of dirty, polluting energy and promote clean renewable
energy.
Tomorrow Greenpeace will launch its Alternative Energy Scenario
for Thailand, illustrating how renewable energy sources such as
solar and wind power, can meet Thailand's future electricity
needs.
Download the backgrounder on the plant here
VVPR info: Pictures will be available on request from John Novis in Amsterdam on +31 20524 9580 or Steve Morgan in Johannesburg on +27 828 58 3449.Video will be available. Contact Linda Voorthuis in Johannesburg on +27 828 58 3288.