{"id":1750,"date":"2011-10-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-10-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/uncategorized\/1750\/the-true-cost-of-coal\/"},"modified":"2019-11-06T08:23:48","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:23:48","slug":"the-true-cost-of-coal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/publications\/1750\/the-true-cost-of-coal\/","title":{"rendered":"The True Cost of Coal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The monstrous price of South Africa\u2019s coal addiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Catastrophic climate change and uncontrollable debt are burdens South Africans will have to bear for their government\u2019s addiction to coal. On top of the escalating construction costs for Kusile, the monstrous coal-fired power plant, the country will have to pay up to R60.6 billion per year for the external costs associated with it.<\/div>\n
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\"Download<\/a><\/p>\n

Our latest report, \u2018The True Cost of Coal\u2019, calculates the actual costs of Kusile\u2019s entire coal chain<\/a>: from climate change to water use, the impact on health and the ravages of coal mining.<\/p>\n

It is based on an independent scientific study commissioned by Greenpeace Africa from the University of Pretoria\u2019s Business Enterprises unit.<\/p>\n

This report provides compelling evidence that South Africa should end its addiction to coal. Greenpeace Africa strongly opposes Eskom\u2019s continued and morbid fascination with massive coal-fired power stations.<\/p>\n

>>\u00a0View infographic of the report<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding colossal new coal-fired power stations like Kusile<\/a>, and its sibling Medupi, is not only absurd in the face of catastrophic climate change, but will over-burden South Africans, many of whom have neither adequate shelter nor job security,\u201d says Greenpeace Africa climate campaigner Melita Steele.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the true tragedies of government and Eskom\u2019s continued addiction to coal is the fact that notwithstanding the future risks, coal has already failed to deliver electricity to many South Africans, with at least 2,5 million homes still denied access to electricity\u201d continued Steele.<\/p>\n

\u201cEskom should stop construction at Kusile and invest in renewable energy solutions, which guarantee thousands of new jobs<\/a>, while there is still time. The true cost of building this power station is much more than South Africans can afford to pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For communities that live near coal-fired power stations, the externalised costs (in terms of water pollution and health issues) are staggering.
\nSouth Africa \u00a9 Greenpeace \/ Oswald Chikosi 2011<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The findings of the University of Pretoria study confirm this. As stated in the study: \u201cThe results of the analysis provide a compelling argument for Eskom to stop investing in coal and instead commit to developing alternative renewable energy solutions \u2013 actively encouraged and assisted by government.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRenewable energy beats coal in every context. It will deliver decentralised energy to all South Africans, creating a win-win-win situation for job creation<\/a>, the climate<\/a> and energy access.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

The real scandal is that, according to the report \u201cif the same amount of attention and resources were applied to renewable energy, we could develop five times Kusile\u2019s proposed power generation capacity from clean energy sources with only 30% of Kusile\u2019s external costs\u201d, Steele concluded.<\/p>\n

>> For more of a discussion on the study\u2019s findings, click here<\/a>.
\n>> Take Action<\/strong>: Tell Government to up its renewable energy ambitions!<\/a><\/p>\n

Downloads:<\/h2>\n