Industry must match Govt investment in carbon capture and storage
Industry must match Govt investment in carbon capture and storage
8 December 2009
Industry must match Govt investment in carbon
capture and storage, coalminers say
Australian coalminers have today praised the Federal
Government’s $2billion cash injection into the development of carbon capture and
storage technologies as a move that will help protect thousands of coalmining
jobs.
The Federal Government today announced the funds would
go towards four flagship carbon capture and storage projects in Wandoan,
Gladstone, Latrobe Valley and the Collie South West hub near Perth.
The CFMEU Mining and Energy union, which represents
more than 20,000 coalminers across the country, said the Government’s
investment would help secure the future of the sector but that more action was
needed from industry.
CFMEU Mining and Energy union General President Tony
Maher, who is heading to climate change talks in Copenhagen this week, said
Australian industry needed to pledge at least $2billion to meet the world’s
2013 deadline for rolling out capture and storage.
“Australia and the world have a short window of
opportunity to get carbon capture and storage operations up and running,” Mr
Maher said.
“If industry is serious about protecting jobs and the
communities that rely on coal then they will stump up the cash needed to
further develop carbon capture and storage technologies on a large scale.”
Mr Maher said that while carbon capture storage would
help to reduce Australia and the world’s carbon emissions the technology would
only be viable under emissions trading scheme.
“The reality is if we are going to drive real
investment in this critical technology then the we must put a price on carbon
emissions,” Mr Maher said.
Mr Maher will be addressing the ‘Climate Change and
World of Work’ in Copenhagen early next week, urging world leaders and industry
to make a bigger commitment to carbon capture and storage.
The CFMEU Mining and Energy union fully endorse the
National Carbon Capture and Storage Taskforce report, noting that
recommendations reflect a sensible science based approach to infrastructure
planning.
Australian coal communities recognise that reducing
carbon emissions is needed in the fight against climate change and is in the
long-term interests of the country’s coal industry.
For media comment call Tony Maher on 0418 286 735 or
Tim Fitzsimmons (EMC) on 0423 375 522
The CFMEU has urged the Tasmanian
Government to introduce specialised OH&S legislation for the mining
industry without further delay, following the Tasmanian Coroner’s damning
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Association (ACA) of using scare tactics in a concerted campaign
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tactics in a concerted campaign against Government efforts to tackle
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