Climate activists at Longannet call for closure date
sussedasaduck | 06.08.2008 16:56 | Climate Chaos | Workers' Movements
One-night mini Scottish camp outside UK's dirtiest power station. SNP Government urged to set early closure date for plant and guarantee green jobs for coal workers in the growing renewables revolution.
A group of climate protestors were at Longannet power station in Fife this morning in
solidarity with the Camp for Climate Action near to Kingsnorth power station in England.
Longannet coal plant, which produces a quarter of Scotland's electricity, produces around
10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year - roughly equivalent to the annual
emissions of 2.5 million cars.
Eight sciences students from the University of Edinburgh presented Scottish Power
representatives with the recent respected 'Zero Carbon Britain' report from CAT.
Daniel Abrahams, a physics student, told Scottish Power, who run the plant:
'Any talk of 'clean coal' or carbon capture is a total distraction. We need to radically
reduce emissions in less than a decade and we just don't have the time to wait for
unproven technology when we already have renewable solutions ready to roll. Longannet
must close by 2015.'
Sarah Holliday, a chemistry student from the Isle of Tiree said:
'The SNP must urgently fund a transition deal for all those in the coal industry. All
those employed in the carbon sector must be guaranteed green jobs in the renewables
revolution.'
Notes to editors:
1. Longannet ranked as the UK's dirtiest power station in a 2007 WWF report:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/european_dirty_thirty_may_2007.pdf
2. The Scottish Climate Bill will bind Ministers to a target of an 80% in greenhouse
gases by 2050. An 80% cut in carbon dioxide would mean total emissions for the whole
nation of 10-13 million tonnes a year. Longannet produces 10 million tonnes now.
3. Alex Salmond recently described coal as a 'fuel of the future'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7487184.stm
solidarity with the Camp for Climate Action near to Kingsnorth power station in England.
Longannet coal plant, which produces a quarter of Scotland's electricity, produces around
10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year - roughly equivalent to the annual
emissions of 2.5 million cars.
Eight sciences students from the University of Edinburgh presented Scottish Power
representatives with the recent respected 'Zero Carbon Britain' report from CAT.
Daniel Abrahams, a physics student, told Scottish Power, who run the plant:
'Any talk of 'clean coal' or carbon capture is a total distraction. We need to radically
reduce emissions in less than a decade and we just don't have the time to wait for
unproven technology when we already have renewable solutions ready to roll. Longannet
must close by 2015.'
Sarah Holliday, a chemistry student from the Isle of Tiree said:
'The SNP must urgently fund a transition deal for all those in the coal industry. All
those employed in the carbon sector must be guaranteed green jobs in the renewables
revolution.'
Notes to editors:
1. Longannet ranked as the UK's dirtiest power station in a 2007 WWF report:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/european_dirty_thirty_may_2007.pdf 2. The Scottish Climate Bill will bind Ministers to a target of an 80% in greenhouse
gases by 2050. An 80% cut in carbon dioxide would mean total emissions for the whole
nation of 10-13 million tonnes a year. Longannet produces 10 million tonnes now.
3. Alex Salmond recently described coal as a 'fuel of the future'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7487184.stm
sussedasaduck
