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G20: Reality bites for coal and climate change

Climate change almost forgotten in the cocoon of a coal sponsored energy forum in Brisbane...

In the corporatised and coal-company sponsored cocoon of a pre-G20 talkfest in Brisbane, the burst of vocal protest came like a sudden jolt of the reality of life outside.

“Peabody – we don’t want your coal,” came the loud but brief interlude from seven young climate change campaigners who rose to their feet to shout down Glenn Kellow, the chief operating officer of Peabody Energy, the world’s biggest privately owned coal company.

The chants bounced around the ornate auditorium of Brisbane city hall for only 30 seconds or so, before the group joined hands and walked out into the scorching Brisbane sun.

Peabody Energy, the world’s biggest privately-owned coal company, was the sole sponsor of the Global Café energy event, plugged by organisers Brisbane Marketing as a chance to explore the challenges of powering the economies of the world.

Kellow, based in St Louis but originally from Australia, was in the middle of yet another pitch from the coal industry arguing their product is the “cheapest” and best way to get electricity to the 1.2 billion people in the world who currently don’t have it. He avoided the phrase “climate change”.

As I’ve written before, coal’s concern for the world’s poor is either a sudden onset of benevolence or a cynical ploy to use people’s genuine concern over poverty to sell more of their product.

Outside the entrance to the city hall, others from the Australian Youth Climate Coalition were handing out an open letter, co-signed by youth climate groups from 30 different countries. The letter reads: "We are compelled to write this letter because we believe that the coal lobby, led by Peabody Energy (the largest coal company in the world), is trying to unduly influence the outcome of the G20 Summit. Their agenda represents a threat to young people and future generations, and we urge you to listen to our message over that of vested interests.They claim that their industry will benefit the world’s poor. But we know that the rapid expansion of the industry will cost those living under the poverty line their health and clean air - and they are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change."

The AYCC produced a video mocking some of the claims made by Peabody Energy, coal industry figures and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Source: www.theguardian.com