Greenpeace calls on coal phase out

Greenpeace calls on coal phase out

Agence France-Presse, Jakarta

International environmental watchdog Greenpeace on Monday
called on the coal industry to stop producing coal and to invest
instead in clean and renewable energy.

"The coal industry bears a heavy responsibility in inflicting
damage to the environment," a Greenpeace statement quoted one of
its activists as telling a conference of coal companies in Bali
island.

"This industry should stop promoting coal and start investing
in renewable energy," the activist, Red Constantino, was quoted
as saying.

Greenpeace said Constantino told delegates at CoalTrans Asia
2003, an annual gathering of the world's largest coal companies,
to act against the threat of climate change caused by burning
coal.

"The coal industry needs to clean up its act. Because of
climate change, the only way it can do this is to phase itself
out starting today not tomorrow," he said.

He said the effects of climate change are expected to be
greatest in developing countries in terms of loss of life and
relative effects on investment and the economy.

Constantino was quoted as citing floods, droughts and rising
sea levels as among the effects of climate change.

Coal accounts for over 40 percent of the world's annual carbon
emissions, Greenpeace figures show.

Southeast Asia is a large consumer of coal. The watchdog group
said that coal imports to the region, largely from Australia, are
expected to rise by 14 percent a year to 30 million tons in 2010.