Greenpeace reports the true cost of coal
Greenpeace Philippines and RISE (Responsible Ilonggos for Renewable Energy), launched the “True Cost of coal” report at a press briefing in Iloilo City yesterday. The report published by Greenpeace International reveals and quantifies the short term and long term negative effects of coal on people, economy and the environment.
The report features the anti-coal campaign by RISE formed by a group of concerned citizens, who sought to stop the construction of a coal plant in Northern Iloilo by KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation). “There is a ground swelling of support for coal-fired power plants in the country due to the misinformation that includes 'clean coal technology' and the misleading argument that coal is cheap. It will be the people who will have to bear the health and environmental costs of burning coal,” said Aurora Lim, the group's co-convenor.
The press release sent by RISE to The News Today, states, “Traditionally considered the cheapest fuel around, the market price for coal ignores its most significant impacts. These so-called “external costs” manifest themselves as damages such as respiratory diseases, mining accidents, acid rain, smog pollution, reduced agricultural yields and climate change. The harm caused by mining and burning coal is not reflected in its price per ton or its costs for a kWh of electricity, but the world at large is nevertheless paying for it. Mercury emissions from coal, for example, are a potent neurotoxin, which can cause serious health effects and sometimes death.”
The article further states, “Pro-coal advocates continue to spread misinformation, including false claims like blaming lack of electricity supply being the cause of the recent blackouts in the region. It is now clear that the real cause was technical problems and maintenance work undertaken by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) caused by the blackouts, not a lack of supply. The 230kV Marshalling to Tabango Line 2 tripped while Line 1 was shut down for maintenance purposes. Both lines are used to transmit power from Leyte to Cebu and the other island grids in the Visayas.”
“Iloilo needs to keep fighting coal and continue pushing for renewable energy. The province of Western Visayas has in the pipeline several renewable energy projects thereby displacing the need for a new coal-fired plants,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner, Amalie Obusan. Obusan is referring to such programs as the wind farm project in Guimaras and biomass plant in Passi City. “To push for coal in Iloilo will cancel out the vision of Western Visayas to be the Renewable Energy Corridor of the Philippines.”
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.