Stopping dirty energy

Page - March 11, 2008
The world has become acutely aware of the impacts of human-induced climate change and every month the warnings from international climate scientists get more and more dire. To protect our environment against climate change, we must drastically reduce fossil fuel emissions globally.

Greenpeace activist Adam Shore hangs from the side of the ship Atermon, in a protest to stop the unloading of coal from Indonesia to be burnt at the Huntly power station.

Greenpeace opposes the development and building of fossil fuel energy sources in New Zealand:

Due to some relentless campaigning by lots of different people, Mighty River Power's Marsden B coal fired power station proposal was abandoned in March 2007.

New Zealand can do its bit by banning the use of fossil fuels to produce energy altogether. The Labour-led government's 10-year ban on new fossil fuel generation is a step in the right direction, but it needs to be permanent, and existing energy produced by fossil fuels needs to be retired. 

Nuclear is not a solution, period.

Dirty, fossil fuel energy not wanted

Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and oil. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon in the form of carbon dioxide, the most important greenhouse gas emitted by human activities.

Scientists have calculated how much carbon can be released into the atmosphere before the 'safe' limits of climate change are passed. If this limit is passed climate change will occur so quickly that ecosystems will be unable to adapt and an irreversible process will begin that could spiral out of control. The maximum 'safe' global temperature increase is two degrees Celsius. If fossil fuels continue burning at present levels, this limit will be reached in just 40 years.

Oil companies have already found enough oil to cause dangerous climate change. If they make available existing reserves, the effects on the climate could be catastrophic.

Instead of spending money exploring for more dinosaur fuels, they must begin now to invest in the future - clean, renewable energy. To continue with business as usual is to gamble with the lives of millions and risk major ecological and economic disruption.

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