WWF welcomes National Low Emission Coal Council
28 Jul 2008
WWF welcomed today's announcement of the establishment of a National Low Emissions Technology Coal Council and a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) task force.
WWF joined forces earlier this year with The Climate Institute, the Australian Coal Association and the CFMEU to advocate for a national carbon capture and storage strategy.
WWF CEO Greg Bourne said, "CCS could play a critical role, along with renewable energy and energy efficiency, in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous climate change. But without a national strategy it could take 15-20 years to contribute to the climate change solution, which would be too late for the planet.
"If CCS works it could be applied not just to new and retrofitted coal power generation, but also gas power generation and production, and to other large CO2 sources such as the chemical, steel or cement industries," Mr Bourne said.
"CCS is complex and costly, it requires the alignment of capture technologies, identification of suitable storage sites, appropriate transport infrastructure and stringent health, safety and environmental protections.
"Unfortunately market forces and emissions trading alone will be insufficient to overcome barriers to deployment."
WWF says demonstration plants must be supported and built now and the Government must set a commercialisation target for 2020. The only way of ensuring this will happen is through Government coordination and policy.
WWF is also calling on Federal and State Governments to put a moratorium on new coal-fired power stations without CCS on commission.
"A new coal-fired power station without CCS would make it impossible for Australia to stabilise and reduce emission in the short-term. A moratorium would also encourage much needed industry investment into CCS."
"If we reach a three degree rise in temperature, 35 per cent of species will become extinct. WWF has a responsibility to try to prevent this from happening, which means supporting a range of solutions," concluded Mr Bourne.
For more information:
Rachael Hoy, WWF-Australia Press Office,
02 8202 1242, 0407 204 594
Kellie Caught, WWF-Australia Policy Manager - Climate Change,
07 3211 2684, 0406 383 277
