[ 2014-06-05 ]

350 (G-Roc) Raise Voice Against Coal Plant Establishment In Ghana
World Environment Day ('WED') is celebrated every
year on June 5 to raise global awareness to take
positive environmental action to protect nature
and the planet Earth. It is run by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The official slogan for this year 2014 is 'Raise
Your Voice Not The Sea Level' as the focus is on
Small Islands and Climate Change.

350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (G-ROC), as part of
marking today's celebration want to strongly
reiterate our campaign against plans to establish
coal plant in Ghana. We raise our voice for these
simple reasons:

 It is a known fact, that a typical coal
plant with emissions controls, including flue gas
desulfurization (smokestack scrubbers), emits
7,000 tons of SO2 per year.

 A typical coal plant with emissions
controls, including selective catalytic reduction
technology, emits 3,300 tons of NOx per year.

 Coal-fired plant aside contaminating the
air and water bodies with pollutants such as
mercury, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen oxide, smog,
uranium which causes all manner of complications,
including but not limited to cancer, respiratory
diseases, skin disease and also causes severe and
negative environmental impacts, is also well known
for emitting huge quantity of CO2 which is the
primary contributor to current challenges of
global warming.

 Ghana in her second (2nd) communication
to the UNFCC emphasized the frantic effort it is
making towards carbon reduction and so we are at a
complete loss as to the abrupt change of policy
direction even in the face of practical
manifestation and impacts of climate change in the
country.

It is also inconceivable to think that at a time
when several coal plants across the globe are
shutting down and increasingly switching to
natural gas and renewable sources of energy as an
alternative, Ghana has rather shockingly opted for
coal plants. Not only is this unreasonable but
also betrays and undermines the very effort of
carbon reduction strategy Ghana claimed to be
championing.

Again if indeed, the so-called technology is
workable as the Shenzhen Energy Group professed,
then why did the Chinese government find it
extremely necessary to scrap the plans by this
same Shenzhen Energy Group to put up coal-fired
plant in Eastern Shenzhen?

As young people in Ghana, we find it completely
worrying that the Ministry of Energy failed to do
due diligence or research as to why Shenzhen
Energy Group could not even construct coal plant
in their own country (China). Can this be a
justification of ineffective and inefficient
performance by our policy actors or government
institutions?

We therefore call upon:
1. Fellow youth of Ghana to as a matter of urgency
RAISE THEIR VOICE against this development which
is dangerous to our future.

2. The Ghana Bar Association and/or the General
Legal Council to emulate the good example of the
43 lawmakers in China who spearheaded the
cancellation of the intended coal project (to be
executed by Shenzhen Energy Group in eastern
Shenzhen) in June 2013.

3. The Association of Ghana industries to reject
use of coal plant which is a dirty source of
energy by considering the welfare of their workers
and the Ghanaian populace as a whole

4. Other civil society organisation, human rights
advocates etc to join the campaign against coal
plant establishment.

5. The Chinese government to call the Shenzhen
Energy Group to order and possibly sanction them
if it is found to be flouting the guidelines for
environmental protection in foreign investment and
cooperation issued jointly by the Ministry of
Commerce of the People's Republic of China and
Ministry of Environmental Protection of the
People's Republic of China.

6. The media to educate and/or sensitive
government and the general public on the dangers
of coal plants

We are very confident of the fact that exploring
renewable/clean energy sources such as wind,
solar, biomass or even thermal plant (with state
of the art technology that will ensure zero
emissions of CO2 in the atmosphere) are by far
better options.

Climate change effects in Ghana are already been
experienced and seem to be escalating
increasingly. On this day, 350 G-ROC RAISE OUR
VOICE against any action that will further fuel
and deepen the present adverse effect of climate
change - to wit, carbon emissions through coal
plants.

About 350 G-ROC
It is an informal network of youth-based
grassroots movements or organisations [and some
individuals] affiliated to 350.org formed with the
aim of mobilizing and empowering young people in
partnership with key stakeholders to actively
champion the need to reduce our carbon emissions
and promote renewable energy systems as a key
effort in combating climate change.

Signed:
Chibeze Ezekiel Farid Shamsu-deen
(National Coordinator) (Media & Communications
Director)

+233244967931/+233501260427
+233233275280/+233244275280

World.350.or/ghana

Source - 350 G-ROC

... go Back