James Hansen wants coal mining to stop
Australian ABC News reports today that Dr James Hansen has sent a letter to Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urging him to stop the mining and exports of coal. Australia is one of the world’s biggest coal producers. However, both India and China produce more coal than the Aussies. China is the world leader with 2.4 Mt, eight times as much as Australia’s output. But I guess they are pardoned being in need of fast development.
Coal is Australia’s largest commodity export and a vital national resource. It provides 85 percent of Australia’s electricity production. So what James Hansen is suggesting is practically a total blackout of the Land Down Under.
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“… urging him to stop the mining and exports of coal.”
Ha! Like that’ll ever happen. What politician would be stupid enough to kill an industry that provides thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to their economy from exports. And what kind of “scientist” would be stupid enough to ever suggest such a thing.
it does illustrate that Dr Hansen is out of touch with reality. Seems it is also true in his approach to science.
Hansen’s remarks parallel that of many other concerned professors and scientists around the globe. Just because media does not report how bad the environment is does not mean that we are not at a crucial point. I suggest that critics read the propensity of research by a number of global scientists to realise the urgency of the situation. It is not just for us, but for our children’s future. We can use wave power, solar power, wind power etc. Coal is an outdated and unclean form of power. Australia should develop these other methods of power which are the way of the future. This is where the money lies.
I surely hope that the “etc.” in the latest comment is very powerful and ubiquitous. Certainly waves, wind, and solar do not have the potential to supply earth’s energy needs in the visible future.
Eve, you must be one of those who insist that Anthropogenic Global Warming is a ‘given’? Flat Earth/Witches/Fools Gold/Dragons/ Alchemy/Perpetual Motion/Giants were all ‘givens’ once upon a time.
It took real science to prove otherwise, as it will with AGW. Lots of professors and scientists around the globe disagree with yours and Hansen’s view. Me too. As for wind power ’saving’ the planet…… : (
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