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Press Release
SUMMARY OF NEW DEVELPMENTS
PANiC Stations (People against new coal stations) was formed to oppose the building of a power station at Cambois, near Blyth a coastal village community in Northumberland. The campaign has grown steadily in the 2 months since its launch on November 24th 2008 and now has support from a wide range of organisations: Christian Aid, CPRE (Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England), Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Make Poverty History NE, the RSPB, Tearfund and WDM (World Development Movement), as well as local residents, local churches and local politicians.
PANiC Stations is very pleased that a prominent North East figure has agreed to be Chairperson. Dr David Golding CBE is considered to be one of Britain’s leading grassroots campaigners. David was awarded a CBE by H.M. The Queen in May 2008, for “services to the world poverty campaign”. David says, “Runaway climate change would be ‘a catastrophe that will exacerbate human suffering to a magnitude that perhaps the world has not yet seen’ (Desmond Tutu).”
At the well attended meeting on January 22nd in Cambois, the original aims of the campaign were reaffirmed. We oppose the construction of a new coal fired power station in Cambois, Blyth, because this would
- Further fuel global warming which we as a nation are committed to curbing
- Damage the health and quality of life of local communities
- Despoil the environment, threaten wildlife and be an eyesore visible for miles for 50 years on this heritage coast.
In contrast, we strongly support the development of renewable power generation infrastructure at the site, with all the extra jobs this would create.
Furthermore, it was unanimously agreed that all activities by PANiC Stations must be law abiding and that any group or individual wishing to take action in breach of the law cannot do so in the name of PANiC Stations.
It was also agreed that, whilst the principal focus of PANiC Stations would be the proposed power station, we would try to support and encourage anyone campaigning against new open-cast coal mining.
David Golding will be addressing the Friends of the Earth group in Alnwick on Thursday 29th January, 7.30pm, at St James Centre, Pottergate. Everyone is welcome at this meeting.
INFORMATION DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING
HUMAN WELFARE
Diana Herbert, consultant for Christian Aid says: “The global effect of climate change, and changes in sea levels, will impact upon developing countries hardest, and they will be the least able to cope with its impact. This is the reason why development agencies like Christian Aid, The World Development, Tear Fund, and many others are involved in the campaign. Northumbrians who enjoy the landscape of the coast can easily imagine the effect of rising sea levels on nature reserves and their coastal communities and are better placed to imagine the effect sea level changes would have on low lying countries such as Bangladesh.”
THE SCIENCE
Dr Golding summarised the overwhelming scientific evidence that the burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of global warming. A further presentation explained that coal is the worst culprit, even with the best technology presently available. In his letter to President Barak Obama, the distinguished climatologist, Professor James Hansen, Director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute, has called for coal-fired power stations, which he calls “factories of death” to be phased out completely.
Carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is not planned for the Blyth power station – indeed, it is not yet known whether or not it can be made to work on a large scale. [‘CCS ready’ means little more than leaving an empty space beside the power station!]
‘Clean coal’ technology
What is being proposed at Blyth would use so-called ‘Clean Coal’ technology, which refers to reduction of some gases, in particular sulphur dioxide, in the exhaust flue. The power station would have 6 times the output of the old power station and produce 5 times the CO2 output. The local communities are well aware that coal is anything but ‘clean’, since it creates terrible dust and pollution for the local environment. Fly ash contains many highly toxic substances, some radioactive, such that it is illegal to incorporate fly ash into house building materials and to it at sea. ‘Clean Coal’ technology does not reduce the amount of fly ash.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Malcolm Reid, of Greenpeace, says “The European Union is legally committed to meeting 20% of its total energy needs from renewable energy by 2020. Britain, with the greatest renewable energy resources of any country in Europe, is none-the-less one of the most backward, so its target has been set at 15%. This would almost all be in the form of electricity and thus represent about 40% of our electricity supply. This is greater than the expected loss of capacity from closing old coal and nuclear power stations. If we meet our legal commitments there will be no ‘energy gap’.”
The report by the international energy consultants, Poyry, published in August 2008, concluded that if the government meets its energy efficiency and renewable targets, new unabated fossil fuel power plants will not be needed in the period up to 2020.
Even excluding the newly operating off shore turbines, Blyth has more than half of Northumberland’s operating land based wind energy. It is the base for world class renewable energy testing facilities. A Californian company wishes to build huge off shore wind turbines, which will be quite invisible from the land. South East Northumberland and Blyth deserve a continuation of renewable regeneration and the job opportunities that go with it.
FUTURE ACTION
PANiC Stations will be considering a number of avenues for future action. A framework for sharing information with all interested parties through the website, by email links with representatives of the different organisations and local residents, and through holding occasional full meetings, has been established.
FURTHER INFORMATION
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