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Greenpeace halts coal plant backed by ADB and Japan bank

April 21, 2005
Greenpeace Southeast Asia energy campaigners Red Constantino, and Tara Buakamsri hold up a banner calling for a stop to the construction of a coal fired power plant in Rayong province on Thailand's eastern seaboard.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia energy campaigners Red Constantino, and Tara Buakamsri hold up a banner calling for a stop to the construction of a coal fired power plant in Rayong province on Thailand's eastern seaboard.

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THAILAND — Rayong, 21 April 2005 -- Greenpeace today disrupted the construction of the internationally-funded BLCP coal power plant and demanded that the project be stopped immediately. Activists from Thailand, Philippines and Germany occupied the main craneof the coal power plant, hanging a banner with the message “Stop Coal!”

"Climate change is the greatest threat to the planet and to developing countries like Thailand, yet companies like BLCP continue building dirty coal plants.  This is a scandal that must be exposed and must be stopped.  The lives of millions are at risk,” said Tara Buakamsri of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

 

The BLCP power station is currently under construction in Maptaphut Industrial Estate in Rayong, Thailand with operations expected to start as early as 2006. The power plant is owned by the Hong Kong-based China Light and Power Co (CLP) and Banpu Plc, and is funded mainly by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The coal plant also has backing from Australian coal firm Rio Tinto, which has secured a long-term exclusive contract to supply coal for the power plant.

 

Once completed the 1,434 megawatt coal plant is expected to emit massive amounts of greenhouse gases over its lifespan, contributing significantly to climate change. Based on Greenpeace calculations, the BLCP coal plant will emit 229 million tons of carbon dioxide in 20 years. 

 

"Lest they be permanently branded as climate criminals, the ADB and China Light and Power must withdraw immediately from this dirty energy project. It’s time that they contribute to real solutions to the sustainable development of Thailand.  It’s time they embrace renewable energy,” said Tara.

 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the foremost global authority on the issue, the projected distribution of economic impacts of climate change would increase the disparity in well-being between developed countries and developing countries. The effects of climate change are expected to be greatest in developing countries in terms of loss of life and negative effects on the economy.

 

Human-induced climate change is projected to increase the severity and frequency of extreme weather events such as storms and drought.  Recently, Thailand was caught in the grip of a catastrophic drought which has affected 63 of the country's 76 provinces, affecting an estimated 9.2 million Thais and destroying 809,000 hectares of farmland. According to the government, the catastrophe has cost as much as $193.2 million in damages.

 

"What’s stake is the very future of our people and environment. No more coal," said Tara.