Stop Climate Chaos activists were at Kingsnorth in Kent this morning to urge the Prime Minister to abandon plans for a new generation of coal-fired power plants. They planted flags outside the existing power station as a symbol of opposition to Kingsnorth 2, a new development which, if it gets the go-ahead, will be the first new coal plant to be built in the UK for 30 years.
Developer E.ON UK plans to demolish the existing plant and replace it with a new coal-fired unit that is 20 per cent cleaner. But coal is the dirtiest, most carbon-intensive fuel known to mankind, and despite the industry's efforts to talk up 'clean coal' technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS), such developments are in their infancy and would not be available for at least a decade, even if they can be made to work.
The final decision on whether to approve the proposal rests with the government, and ultimately with the Prime Minister. As Ashok Sinha, director of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, points out: "Gordon Brown's decision on new coal-fired power plants could be a defining moment in the fight against climate change.
Come to Climate Camp at Kingsnorth, Aug 4-11 2008
"If he jumps the right way and unlocks Britain's renewable potential, we could show the rest of the world that low carbon technologies are the answer to the inseparable challenges of climate change, poverty and energy security."
"The reality is that a thriving renewables industry would help us avoid disastrous climate change, create thousands of jobs and keep the lights on."
The PM now faces a choice between investing in job-creating renewables technolgies or remaining wedded to outdated, polluting plants heavily dependent on imported energy sources (even 60 per cent of our coal is imported these days). If he goes with coal we'll have next to no chance of meeting our CO2 reduction targets for 2020, have missed a golden opportunity to ensure genuine energy security, and be blamed by the world's more responsible nations for accelerating climate change.
And just to make his options even more crystal clear, Parliament's own environmental audit committee weighed in yesterday with a report making it clear that if we are to hit our targets for reducing emissions in the face of climate change, then the government must set a deadline for introducing tough greenhouse emissions standards - aready proposed by NGOs and supported by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats - after which the operation of unabated coal-fired power stations should not be permitted.
So Mr Brown, it's up to you whether we go for cheap dirty energy or make a genuine effort to take the lead in tackling climate change. Your choice.
NB The Stop Climate Chaos Coalition includes the Women's Institute, Oxfam, Greenpeace, WWF, the RSPB, Christian Aid, Tearfund, People and Planet and Friends of the Earth.
