Greenpeace warns against expanding coal exports
Updated 2 hours 7 minutes ago
Photo: The Greenpeace-commissioned study identifies the expansion of Australian coal exports as a threat to the climate (Mick Tsikas: Reuters)
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Map: Australia
A new report has warned Australia to stop expanding coal exports or risk inflicting “catastrophic” effects of climate change on the world.
The Greenpeace-commissioned study identifies the expansion of Australian coal exports as one of 14 proposed coal, oil and gas projects around the world that will raise greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
The study predicts Australia will increase coal exports to 408 million tonnes a year, producing an estimated 1,200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Greenpeace’s Georgina Woods says if the projects go ahead, they will warm the globe more than two degrees Celsius.
That is considered the temperature limit to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
“Our coal exports are already our biggest single contribution to climate change, and part of a global fossil fuel expansion enterprise that will push us beyond the point of no return in climate change,” she said.