Media Release 21 October 2009
Marrickville Council passed a resolution at the 20 October Council meeting expressing its opposition to the construction of new coal-fired power stations in NSW as totally incompatible with fighting climate change. Council will write to the state government and advertise its position on this important issue to the local community.
State owned companies Delta Electricity and Macquarie Generation both have plans to build new coal or gas power stations near Lithgow and in the Upper Hunter Valley that would emit 23 millions tonnes of greenhouse pollution every year, the equivalent of four million extra cars on the road.
“Coal is the major cause of climate change in Australia, to build new coal-fired power stations in NSW would be an absolute disaster,” said Greens Councillor Max Phillips.
“The plans for two new coal-fired power stations currently before the state government would mean a 16% increase in greenhouse emissions when scientists say we need a 40% reduction by 2020 to avoid catastrophic climate change.
“Expansion of the coal industry and fighting climate change are simply incompatible.
“The Rees government can choose dirty coal power, slightly less polluting gas power, or clean renewable energy. They should be seeking to build solar thermal and wind power stations to help combat climate change, created green jobs and lead in the next boom industry, renewable energy.
“Marrickville Council and local residents are doing their bit to reduce greenhouse emissions, it is time the state government took real action and put a moratorium on new coal-fired power stations.
“I hope local residents concerned about climate change contact the local member, Carmel Tebbutt and tell her a new coal-fired power station is not acceptable in this era of climate change.”
Contact: Councillor Max Phillips 0419 444 916
Notice of Motion
No new coal-fired power plants in NSW
Councillor Phillips
Council notes:
- Two new coal-fired or gas power stations are planned for NSW at Bayswater in the Hunter Valley and Mt Piper at Lithgow and currently have an environmental assessment with the Department of Planning.
- Burning coal releases a lot of carbon dioxide and is a major cause of climate change.
- The new coal-fired power stations planned will produce 23 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. This is an increase of 34% of NSW stationary energy emissions.
- The gas powered option 12.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. This is an increase of 19% of NSW stationary energy emissions.
Council:
- Adopts a position of opposing all new coal-fired power stations in NSW on the grounds that it is incompatible with mitigating dangerous climate change.
- Writes to the Member for Marrickville Carmel Tebbutt the Premier Nathan Rees, Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally, Minister for the Environment John Robertson, stating this position and asking that they reject the new coal-fired power stations and invest in energy efficiency measures and renewable power sources instead.
- Promotes this position on the Council website and in the Council column in the local newspaper.
- Makes a submission to the environmental assessment processes of these two projects.
Background
Macquarie Generation and Delta Electricity have both submitted plans to the Department of Planning for either new coal fired generators or gas powered generators.
The Bayswater B power station, located in the Hunter Valley would generate 2 gigawatts of electricity. The coal fired option would produce 12,428,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, while the gas powered option would produce 5,918,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
The Mt Piper Power Station Extension, located near Lithgow, would generate 2 gigawatts of electricity. The coal fired option would produce 10,470,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, while the gas powered option would produce 4,910,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
The latest climate science says that climate change is happening more rapidly than previously thought and that we are in danger of hitting natural tipping points that will increase the rate of warming further with drastic consequences for humanity.
Rajendra Pachauri, head of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said clearly and unequivocally that we must aim to keep the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 350 parts per million (ppm) or below. Since the industrial revolution, we have increased the amount of carbon dioxide from 280ppm to 383ppm.
James Hansen, Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and perhaps the most respected climate scientist in the world, told The Guardian:
“coal is the single greatest threat to civilisation and all life on our planet…The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.” (Feb 2009)
Australia is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita. We must drastically and swiftly reduce our emissions if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change. Building new coal fired power stations, or even gas power stations is incompatible with combating climate change.
NSW can avoid building new fossil fuel power stations by investing in energy efficiency measures, building renewable energy power such as wind and solar thermal, and encouraging small scale clean energy installations through rebates and feed in tariffs.
Decisions about how we source electric power in NSW will affect the ability of Marrickville Council and Marrickville residents to access clean energy options and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
