The True Cost of Coal

Press release - 28 April, 2005
Shareholders in the billion dollar China Light and Power (CLP) company were today confronted with the real cost of burning fossil fuels. Greenpeace activists and people from communities suffering the devastating impacts from coal fired power stations across Asia, disrupted CLP's annual celebration of its dirty energy trade at the Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel."

Greenpeace activists and coal-impacted community representatives hold a parody of China Light and Power's annual report which was distributed at the AGM of CLP, one of Asia's largest power utilities.

For every dollar of profit made by CLP last year, it is estimated itcost communities across the region nearly $4 in health andenvironmental impacts. (1)

Representativesfrom affected communities in Hong Kong, mainland China, Thailand,Philippines and India traveled to the company's AGM to expose thishypocrisy. As community representatives addressed CLP's Board andshareholders inside the meeting, Greenpeace activists deployed a hugebanner outside the hotel, carrying the message "CLP: climate criminal".

"Weare here to say no to CLP's dirty coal business on behalf of manyaffected communities across the region. We demand clean, safe andrenewable energy for our communities," said Charoen Detkhum, acommunity leader from Thailand where the BLCP coal plant, a projectfunded by CLP, is being constructed.

CLP Group recordedprofits of US$ 1.1 billion in 2004, their highest for a decade, mostlyderived from burning coal. Greenpeace demands that CLP invests theseprofits in clean renewable energy projects like wind power in southernChina's Guangdong province.

"CLP are climate criminals. Allacross Asia their coal burning addiction is wrecking the climate,destroying the environment and poisoning people. Unless we act to stopclimate change now, the consequences for humans and the environmentwill be devastating," said Greenpeace China climate campaigner GloriaChang.

Last week, Greenpeace disrupted construction of the CLP funded Maptaphut coal plant, one of the largest in Thailand.

Other contacts: Athena Ronquillo, Greenpeace International climate and energy campaigner, + 852 6224 4597 and +852-6224-45-97Gloria Chang, Greenpeace China climate and energy campaigner, + 852 6076 67 81Cecilia Goin, Greenpeace International media officer: + 31 6 212 96 908For more information please contact: http://www.greenpeace.org.cn

Notes: (1). Using European Commission methodology it has been calculated that the harmful impacts of CLP's coal burning operations across the region cost at least USD 3.9 billion in 2004.

Exp. contact date: 2005-05-10 00:00:00

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