Christians say no to coal plants

Stop Climate Chaos campaigners have called upon the Department of Energy and Climate Change to ditch plans for a new generation of coal-fired power stations.

Representatives of World Vision, Tearfund, Christian Aid and the Methodist Relief and Development Fund were among the group of campaigners to visit the DECC on Tuesday.

The Government is expected to launch a consultation on the power stations, which it argues are necessary to prevent shortages in power as old plants close down. The Stop Climate Chaos Coalition warns that coal-powered plants seriously jeapardise the Government's commitment to reducing the UK's carbon emissions.

Simeon Mitchell, MRDF Campaigns Director, said the UK needed to set an example to the rest of the world.

"Climate change threatens the livelihoods of millions of people in the poorest countries of the world, which is why MRDF is supporting the Stop Climate Chaos campaign," he said.

"As one of the countries that bears the greatest historical responsibility for climate change, the UK must show leadership by taking action to drive down our carbon emissions, as well as working towards a fair global climate deal at Copenhagen in December.’

During Tuesday's meeting, the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition delivered 85,000 messages to energy secretary Ed Miliband urging the Government to concentrate on renewable energy supplies instead of “dirty” coal power stations.

“A green light for new dirty coal plants including Kingsnorth in Kent, will lock Britain into decades of spiralling emissions and severely undermine the Government’s ability to meet its climate targets,” warned Ashok Sinha, director of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.

Sinha said the Government needed to commit to finding at least 15 per cent of the UK’s energy from renewable sources by 2020.

“Only by investing in green jobs and a thriving low carbon economy will a sustainable way of life be secured for generations to come. The lives and livelihoods of millions of poor and vulnerable people across all countries are at stake,” he said.

Stop Climate Chaos urged Miliband to ban coal power stations that cannot capture and safely store their carbon emissions. The coalition argues that the Government can tackle climate change and create thousands of new jobs by transforming Britain into a low-carbon economy.