Activists entered the power plant, and Greenpeace climbers hung
a banner from Genoa's landmark "Torre della Lanterna"
lighthouse. At the same time, activists from the Greenpeace ship
Arctic Sunrise painted "Quit Coal" and "No Carbone" on the
Ukrainian cargo ship Aristea, as it offloaded coal at the
port.
The plant, built in 1928, was due to shut down in 2002, but the
previous Italian government, under Silvio Berlusconi, granted it an
extension until 2020, directly undermining the Liguria authorities.
Enel insists it will keep the plant open until this date. Enel is
Italy's single biggest climate polluter, and is responsible for
nearly a third of all CO2 emissions coming from Italian electricity
production.
"The Genoa plant is way past its retirement age. Keeping it open
directly contributes to the climate crisis and to local pollution,"
said Francesco Tedesco, Greenpeace Italy climate and energy
campaigner. "The regional government has made it clear that it
wants Enel to close the plant down, and Greenpeace is here today to
make sure Enel listens."
The Liguria regional government's energy plan is
one of the few in Italy to be applauded.(1) Greenpeace is encouraging it to
push through its renewable energy plans.
"It is scandalous that Enel ignores the requests of the Liguria
authorities," said Agnes de Rooij, Greenpeace International climate
and energy campaigner. "There is no excuse for keeping this
massively polluting coal-fired power plant open, especially when clean, safe wind and solar power are able to
produce the same amount of electricity."
Today's protests are part of a four-month tour by the Greenpeace
ships Rainbow Warrior and Arctic Sunrise. Bringing
the "Quit Coal" message to the Mediterranean and Europe, the
expedition is happening in the run-up to crucial UN climate
negotiations in Poznan, Poland, this December.
Quitting coal will be essential to a meaningful deal to save the
climate. European governments must show leadership by phasing-out
coal in their own countries. Greenpeace's Energy [R]evolution shows how renewable energy,
combined with greater energy efficiency, can cut global CO2
emissions by 50% and deliver half the world's energy needs by
2050.
Other contacts: Francesco Tedesco, Greenpeace Italy climate and energy campaigner, on board the Arctic Sunrise:
+39 340 085 6944
Agnes de Rooij, Greenpeace International climate and energy campaigner, on board the Arctic Sunrise:
+31 641 456 674
Greenpeace International pressdesk: +31 20 718 22470
Notes: (1) The Liguria regional government plans to increase renewables capacity to 7% by 2012.