Australia is one of the highest greenhouse gas polluters, producing over 300% of the average global GHG emissions. However, Australia has access to abundant gas, wind, solar, geothermal, wave, and biomass energy sources. In combination with energy efficiency measures, this means Australia shouldn’t consider any new conventional coal-fired power station without a working carbon capture and storage facility (CCS). There are currently 11 proposals for new conventional coal-fired power stations in Australia . Immediate action is needed to stop these from going ahead. Any of these new ultra super-critical 700MW black coal-fired power station (pollution profile of 738 kgCO2e/Mwh) would lock in significant pollution over its lifetime of more than 30 years. It would release approximately 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and increase Australia’s annual emissions by 0.7%, severely undermining our long-term objectives to reduce pollution and avoid dangerous climate change.

State and Federal governments must either: Ban new conventional coal-fired power stations or put a limit and a price on pollution to make clean renewable energy cheaper.

Natural gas can be used as a “bridging fuel”. Its use avoids locking in new coal-fired power stations and provides significant carbon savings in the shorter term, while other energy sources and technologies are developed and rendered cheaper. Coal is not a necessary fuel source.

Please Australia, sign this petition to ban new conventional coal-fired power stations. If we allow these start ups to continue, not only will our international clime change goals not be met, but Australia will be contributing to the demise of our one world.