Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Doctors – Health implications of coal-fired power

The health implications of coal-fired power should be a main concern in Australia’s debate over energy generation, doctors have argued.

Speaking on the ABC’s Q&A program, the chair of Doctors for the Environment New South Wales, Dr John Van Der Kallen, asked panellists why health was not a primary consideration in the discussion over the closure of coal-fired power stations such as the Liddell plant in the Hunter Valley “when we know that the pollution from these coal-fired power stations contributes to respiratory and cardiovascular illness, as well as premature death?”

Doctors for the Environment also oppose the proposed Adani coalmine in Queensland, which if built, will be the largest in Australia, and one of the largest in the world.

Enough tiptoeing around. Let’s make this clear: coal kills people

“It will significantly increase Australia’s contribution to international carbon emissions and threaten the health of millions of people in Australia and around the world.”
Emma Herd, chief executive of the Investor Group on Climate Change, said health concerns over coal-fired power were driving movement to renewables in other parts of the world.

“You only have to look at China which is grappling with some really substantial and quite dangerous health impacts on the community in terms of not having heavily regulated the coal-fired power industry and not managing the health implications of coal-fired generation.”

Herd said governments and business needed to take into account the physical and environmental effects of different types of energy generation.

“Interestingly enough, it is this very driver of managing environmental pollution which is actually now the basis of so much of China’s actions in terms of being a world leader in investing in renewable energy, taking it to more than 50% of global investment in renewable energy in the last few years.”

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