Prince Charles today raised serious doubts over proposals to build new, conventional coal fired power stations like one currently being considered by the government at Kingsnorth in Kent.
In a speech to the European parliament, the prince slammed the idea of "business as usual" coal fired generation asking, "Can we really understand the dynamics of a world in which energy and food security will become real issues for everyone? ... Can we possibly allow twenty years of business as usual before coal powered generation becomes clean? Are we truly investing enough in renewable energy?"
The UK government is currently considering whether to approve plans for Kingsnorth, which would be the first coal fired power station to be built in the UK for over thirty years. The prince's intervention comes just weeks before the decision is expected - documents obtained by Greenpeace under the Freedom of Information act show that E.ON, the power company behind the plans, expects "a positive determination" on this by the end of April. (1)
The plant will not be built with CCS (clean coal) technology in place at the outset. In fact, the same FoI documents show how far the Government are from demanding this. Until clean coal is developed, Kingsnorth will be a "business as usual" plant.
Jim Hansen, NASA's leading climate scientist, recently described Kingsnorth as "a terrible idea", while last year former vice president Al Gore asked "why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power stations." (2)
Responding to the prince's speech, Greenpeace Climate campaigner Joss Garman said:
"For
Prince Charles to intervene in this way while the government considers the first
new coal fired power station in thirty years is hugely significant. He now joins
the ranks of Al Gore, NASA's top climate scientist and the leader of the
opposition in recognising that conventional coal plants like the one planned for
Kingsnorth in Kent would be a disaster for the
climate."
For more contact Greenpeace on 0207 865 8255.
(1)
To view these documents
visit www.greenpeace.org.uk/coalsecrets
(2) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17718399/
