The Australian Ambassador for the Environment, Patrick Suckling, appeared on a panel for a US government side-event pushing clean coal technologies as climate solutions. The session on Monday 10 December was called: "U.S. Innovative Technologies Spur Economic Dynamism - Promoting innovative approaches".
One must ask was Ambassador Suckling's presence sanctioned at Ministerial level? His attendance on the panel is hardly good diplomacy for Australia, even given the Liberal Government support for coal and weak climate targets and climate policy.
After about 9 minutes the first speaker was disrupted and youth and civil society delegates unfurled a banner and made their own testimonies on the disruptive and dangerous nature of coal for health and climate.
They chanted "Keep it in the ground" and "Shame on you", before leaving the session. After they left, there were very few people to listen to the myths being spouted of clean coal.
Watch the Facebook Livestream video of young delegates taking over the side event about 9 minutes in and making their own testimony on the fossil fuel industry.
The Australia Institute Director of Climate & Energy Program Richie Merzian was there to document the session in the tweets below.
"How could this be good for Australia? The Ambassador finding himself in the middle of the largest cultural battle at #COP24" remarks Richie Merzian.
1 - The U.S.' coal event. @StateDept characterized it as an opp to "showcase ways to use fossil fuels as cleanly and efficiently as possible." Some experts like @WRIClimate's Dan Lashof called the effort "ludicrous," saying "it would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious." #COP24
— Devex (@devex) December 10, 2018
Meanwhile on the other side of the #COP24 village, the queue is growing in front of the US administration’s side event on Clean Coal. Cameras are ready. The audience is preparing to fire up critical questions. I’m assuming the crossfire will be heavy #ClimateAction #wearestillin pic.twitter.com/r3kb1vq6gu
— Sanni Kunnas (@Sanni_Ku) December 10, 2018
BREAKING: Australia's Ambassador for the Environment @dfat taking centre stage at the US sideshow promotion of coal at #COP24Katowice right now #auspol - watche live on @UNFCCC side event stream - protesters getting wild
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
How could this be good for Australia? The Ambassador finding himself in the middle of the largest cultural battle at #COP24 pic.twitter.com/nUFb7rAotH
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Ambassador Suckling and other coal promoting panellists struggling to get a word in while protesters are shouting 'Keep it in the ground'. Background to event here https://t.co/8ajeeiKFyS
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Trump representatives unashamedly promoting US fossil fuel energy boom and commitment to technology-neutral energy security #COP24Katowice pic.twitter.com/zofqB00DH6
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
In an event littered in symbolism, Australia's Ambassador for the Environment has an American flag on his nameplate at this America-first #COP24 panel filled with American fossil fuel promoters and Trump reps. The company we keep. #auspol #qanda pic.twitter.com/nrCqyCqLxO
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
'Actions speak louder than words - and the US has been a powerhouse for new ideas and actions' Australia's Ambassador
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
'Australia too has a technology-neutral approach' apart from when Energy Minister @AngusTaylorMP insists on underwriting new coal fired power
'Australia is doubling investment in R&D - focusing on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)' says Ambassador Suckling
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
'CCS is a proven tech with 23 success so far'
However EVERY target set for CCS has failed as @TheAusInstitute research has shownhttps://t.co/g7CUb39Lhl #COP24
Absolutely floored - Australia's Environment Ambassador promoted Chevron's CCS Gorgon project 'which when operational in 2019' to be the largest in the world.
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
It was supposed to work in 2016 and its failure is responsible for half emissions increases! https://t.co/OwU5cn7wZK
The only climate-positive thing mentioned by the Ambassador, to his credit, was recognition of lithium as a real growth opportunity in Australia to mine and build batteries to power the transition #COP24Katowice
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
#US #Coal event interrupted at #COP24. Protesters shouting "no more coal" , "keep it in the ground" and "shame on you". Speakers have resumed now but they clearly have been impacted by this. pic.twitter.com/UBQmTubrYg
— Hozefa Merchant (@hozmerc) December 10, 2018
For the second time in two years, we are disrupting a panel (manel) of Trump admin and industry cronies promoting coal, gas, oil and nuclear as “solutions” at the UN climate talks.
— Ben Goloff (@benjamingoloff) December 10, 2018
Communities of the world will not stand for this nonsense. #COP24 #KeepItInTheGround pic.twitter.com/zxIj2MWQzw
HAPPENING NOW: Trump panel on coal at the #COP24 climate negotiations just got disrupted by US climate leaders, and frontline communities take the mic and the floor.
— Adam Greenberg 🔥 (@pragmactivist) December 10, 2018
“Shame on you!” They chant, as the entire room walks out of the garbage Trump panel. @democracynow has more pic.twitter.com/hvkCzbRlGm
Protesters took up most of the seats in the room. Keynote at US coal event continues. #cop24 pic.twitter.com/9He6JTDMOj
— Kate Midden (@katemidden) December 10, 2018
Worth noting that @chevron Australia has a representative here at #COP24.
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Atleast the Australian Government doesn't include any fossil fuel reps on the Government Delegation like say Kuwait (which has 13... no wonder they rejected the @IPCC_CH #SR15 )https://t.co/iQuTPBWo9L
US host has great summary of US (and really Australian) fossil fuel policy; to 'not keep it in the ground but to use it in a way that is clean and efficient'.
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
But there is nothing clean, efficient or compatible when it comes to fossil fuels and #ParisAgreement#nonewcoalmine
Australia's Ambassador answers a question at the US sideshow by harking back to his time in India, where 'millions of people are provided with energy', thanks to cooperation with countries like Australia.....
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Did someone say Adani? #auspol #stopadani #COP24Katowice
Question around 45Q tax credits in the US. Throwing more taxpayer support to prop up CCS despite billions spent and little shown to date.
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Info on 45Q below. https://t.co/FNdy76WgKI
In response to a question around gas and whether it is really a transition fuel given it contributes to (not helps avoid) climate change, Steve Winberg, assistant secretary for fossil energy at the Energy Department, confirms gas can save people from using crap fuels like dung
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Questioner asks why the US representatives are drinking the #UNFCCC cool-aid when President Trump confirmed CO2 is not a pollutant
— Richie Merzian (@RichieMerzian) December 10, 2018
Response (from Winberg) is that no one has told him to do otherwise than support CCS and utilising all energy sources
Second Facebook Livestream from Democracy Now (The audio on this is a clearer)
Some background information on the decline of coal in the USA:
Despite Trump's best efforts, data from @EIAgov shows coal consumption in the United States is anticipated to hit its lowest levels since 1979, with 2018 likely to be the biggest year for #coal unit retirements since 2015 https://t.co/HOnWmYoYMj #BeyondCoal #COP24 pic.twitter.com/Cq5SRvLshC
— Carbon Tracker (@CarbonBubble) December 10, 2018
Next time someone talks to you about "clean coal", show them this simple explainer. Reduction of CO2 emissions from the three major coal power plant technologies is tiny. Via NRDC report 'Power Shift'. #COP24 pic.twitter.com/nTEDTWyCwY
— Tom Baxter 白睿 (@TomBaxter17) December 10, 2018
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