Collie Mail reports on Climate Camp

[The following text is from an article printed in The Collie Mail 15 October 2009.]

MORE than 200 renewable energy campaigners from Camp for Climate Action WA will be in Collie during December for a peaceful protest.

Organiser Emma McIntyre said they wanted to invite the community to join them for three days of peaceful protest, including workshops, forums and a day of fun, creative, and inspiring direct community action.

“We especially welcome the local community, including workers from the power plants and coal mines, over the three days,” she said.

“We support their concerns about Collie’s coal expansion, including direct impacts on their rivers, waterways, biodiversity, recreation and health.

“We support the right of Collie residents to a viable, vibrant future, after the end of coal, where people’s children and grandchildren can be employed in renewable industries that will continue to provide job security for generations to come.”

Ms McIntyre said the group was concerned the community wanted to see an urgent transition from fossil fuels, including coal and gas, to renewable electricity.

“We are tired of our politicians and business leaders gambling away our future,” she said.

“It is estimated the Collie coal industry will emit 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year over the long term.

This represents 13 per cent of WA greenhouse gas emissions in 2007 and exceeds total transport emissions for the state.

“With more mine sites and power stations planned in the area, the ecological sustainability of the Collie Basin water supply is under extreme threat in a time of a drying climate.”

Twenty climate camps are being held across the world in 2009.

Ms McIntyre said climate camps were popping up at coal mines, coal-fired power stations, a French airport, a nuclear reactor in Lapland, the European Carbon Exchange in London, and in Bangladesh.

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