Coal

A1. Greenwash Guerillas promote Fossil Fools Day 2009

A1. Asking the right question

A freewheel of hundreds of cyclists begin the Global Day of Climate Action events in London UK with a protest cycle ride, linking the issues around Catastrophic Climate Change by joining the dots on the map, stopping off at three particular places:

To our friends, allies, advocates, and advisors,

Friends of the Earth Brisbane - www.brisbane.foe.org.au
Wildlife Protection Association of Australia - www.wildlifeprotectaust.org.au
Peace Convergence - www.peaceconvergence.com

18 July, 2008

Friends of the Earth Brisbane, The Wildlife Protection Association of Australia and the Peace Convergence are concerned at a proposal to build a new coal port on Australian Defence Force land at Shoalwater Bay in central Queensland. The port puts at risk Queensland's largest coastal wilderness area and increases the states contribution to climate change.

This weeks rash of protests in Newcastle, Australia, have served to draw the public eye towards the shocking contribution of the coal industry to climate change. From July 10-15, over a thousand citizens, activists and environmental organisations have been holding a series of educational forums, practical workshops and direct actions to highlight the urgent need to end coal mining and export and turn to sustainable energy and lifestyles.

Greenpeace activists aboard Rainbow Warrior, anchored alongside Pagbilao coal plant, painted the words 'Quit Coal' on the hull of a 223 meter vessel 'Sam John Spirit' standing by to unload yet another shipment of thousands of tons of coal at Pagbilao power plant in the Philippines. The Rainbow Warrior is in the Philippines on its 'Quit Coal-Save the Climate' tour of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Rainbow Warrior has anchored alongside the said coal-fired power plant since yesterday to expose how coal causes climate change and to send a message that the Philippines should stop building and expanding harmful coal-fired power plants. The Pagbilao coal plant is one of nine currently in the government's pipeline for either expansion or construction.

The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior today blocked coal shipments at the Pagbilao coal-fired power plant in Quezon province, 150 kilometers southwest of Manila to protest the impending expansion of the said plant. The Rainbow Warrior anchored alongside the coal ship Medi Firenze unloading a cargo of coal at the Pagbilao plant's loading pier, and prevented a bigger shipment of coal--from the 223 meter vessel Sam John Spirit standing by to unload--from approaching.

A giant banner reading "Quit coal" the Rainbow Warrior's masts to drive home the message that the Philippine government should stop building and expanding harmful coal-fired power plants.

Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior docked today in Legazpi City, Albay province, 556 kilometers south of Manila, to kick off a month-long ‘Quit coal, save the climate’ tour of the Philippines. “We are here to expose the role of coal in climate change, the greatest threat to life and biodiversity on the planet. We are here to highlight the urgent need for adoption of strong mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle the worst impacts of climate change,” said Mike Fincken, skipper of the Rainbow Warrior.