New Coal Berth Equivalent To 13% Greenhouse Rise

Media Release

4th February 2010

Labor and Liberal Both in Denial on Climate

New coal berth equivalent to 13% increase in greenhouse pollution

A new coal berth announced for Newcastle Harbour - already the world's biggest coal port - will be the equivalent of a 13% increase in Australia's greenhouse pollution. That's the same figure that ALP calculations show Tony Abbot's climate policy will increase pollution.

"The new coal berth at Newcastle will increase Newcastle coal exports by around 30 million tonnes per year", said Steve Phillips, spokesperson for Rising Tide Newcastle. "That is equivalent to a 13% increase in Australia's greenhouse pollution. The expansion of Australia's biggest contribution to climate change is being managed, encouraged, and approved by state and federal Labor governments.

"Everybody knows that Tony Abbot's Liberal Party are climate change deniers. The laughable climate policy they have announced this week is a streettree planting program, and will do absolutely nothing to reduce greenhouse pollution."

"But the Labor party are in denial too. They are completely in the thrall of lobbyists for the coal industry - the very cause of the climate crisis. They would have the Australian public believe that the number one cause of climate change in Australia and around the world can continue to massively expand, year on year, while greenhouse pollution is magically reduced regardless. That is pure fantasy."

"Coal exports are the number one climate issue in Australia," concluded Phillips.

Background:
* Newcastle currently exports around 90 million tonnes of coal per annum (Mtpa), making it the world's biggest coal port. The industry is dominated by transnational mining corporations BHPBilliton, Xstrata, and Rio Tinto.
* After current approved expansions are implemented (within 5-10 years), Newcastle coal exports will have more than doubled to 211 Mtpa capacity.
* A fourth Newcastle coal terminal is now being planned, to take exports to more than 300Mtpa.
* While coal exports are Australia's biggest contribution to climate change (creating more greenhouse pollution than all domestic sources combined), the emissions from our exports are not included in our greenhouse accounts.

Further comment:
Steve Phillips - 0437 275 119


SOURCE: Rising Tide Newcastle