Thousands protest at Peoples Blockade of coal at the Port of Newcastle

Image: Peoples Blockade - Rising Tide Australia

An estimated 3,000 people gather at Newcastle, the world's largest coal port this weekend, for a 30 hour blockade of coal ships. 

They came in sail boats, canoes, kayaks to block the shipping channels to stop any ships this weekend. Authorities were notified of the protest, and blockades have been held in previous years which stop shipping movements during the blockade hours.

The Peoples Blockade has 3 basic demands:

1. Immediately cancel all new fossil fuel projects
2. Tax fossil fuel export profits at 75% to fund community and industrial transition, and pay for climate loss and damage
3. End all coal exports from Newcastle – the world’s largest coal port – by 2030

Solar panels mounted on Minister's office in budget protest

The electoral office of Climate Change Minister Greg Combet was targeted by climate activists this morning. A banner was hung from the roof of the building saying "Make Polluters Pay, Fund Renewable Energy!", and four photovoltaic solar panels were put in place on the building roof.

The protest in Cardiff NSW was to draw attention to the Federal Government winding back funding for solar programs in the budget just at a critical time for the renewables sector and as the Government negotiates implementation of a carbon tax from July 1, 2012. The banner and the panels were later voluntarily removed by the activists.

Climate change Activists close Newcastle coal terminals

Climate activists have closed down the three coal export terminals at Newcastle harbour, the world's largest coal export port, stopping all production and loading. "Urgent action against global warming is needed. We have been forced to make our dramatic protest today because the Federal government is failing to take any action." said Anika Dean from Rising Tide Newcastle.

Related Story: AusIMC - Mining companies may seek 'victims compensation' from climate activists

Mining companies may seek 'victims compensation' from climate activists

Climate activists who shut down coal export from Newcastle port today may be subject to $97,000 in "victims compensation" according to a report by Rising Tide Newcastle.

Bayswater carbon pollution under legal challenge by NSW climate activists

Two members of Newcastle climate protest group Rising Tide are challenging in the NSW Land and Environment Court the amount of carbon pollution emissions allowed by the coal fired Bayswater Power Station owned by Macquarie Generation. Macquarie Generation produces 12 to 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution every year.

Rising Tide members Peter Gray and Naomi Hodgson launched the action against the Bayswater Power Station in July 2009.

Climate protest fleet attempts blockade of Newcastle coal port

Newcastle, Sun Mar 28, 2010: Climate activists from Rising Tide blocked entry to the world's largest coal port on Newcastle Harbour, north of Sydney. The 'People's Blockade of the World's Biggest Coal Port' put together a motley protest fleet of 60 rafts, kayaks and boats including a 70 foot yacht. Over 350 people attended the protest according to Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon. Carbon dioxide emissions from coal is a major contributor of climate change. Photos on Flickr | More photos

Protest spokesperson Naomi Hodgson told ABC News that "In an era of dangerous climate change we just cannot watch this massive expansion go on and not do anything about it," she said. "We're not willing to accept the massive expansion of the coal industry in New South Wales and coal is Australia's major contributor to climate change and it's also the fastest growing."

No ships entered the port today with NSW Port Authority altering it's shipping schedule to avoid confrontation with protesters. "Last year and this, they have totally cancelled their ships in advance, when we announced that we were holding a protest, so we feel that we are getting our message through, that climate change is a big issue of concern for the community, and we can't accept the massive expansion of the coal industry," said Ms Hodgson reported by AAP.

Climate protest disrupts new Newcastle coal loader

The first shipment of coal from Newcastle's third coal loader has been delayed by climate activists from Rising Tide. The docking of the Sunny Success bulk carrier was delayed at the newly built terminal by one protestor chaining himself to the wharf, and four others in a boat on the harbour.

Steve Phillips, spokesperson for Rising Tide Newcastle said "The new coal berth at Newcastle will increase Newcastle coal exports by around 30 million tonnes per year. That is equivalent to a 13% increase in Australia's greenhouse pollution. The expansion of Australia's biggest contribution to climate change is being managed, encouraged, and approved by state and federal Labor governments."

"Everybody knows that Tony Abbot's Liberal Party are climate change deniers. The laughable climate policy they have announced this week is a street-tree planting program, and will do absolutely nothing to reduce greenhouse pollution."

"But the Labor party are in denial too. They are completely in the thrall of lobbyists for the coal industry - the very cause of the climate crisis. They would have the Australian public believe that the number one cause of climate change in Australia and around the world can continue to massively expand, year on year, while greenhouse pollution is magically reduced regardless. That is pure fantasy."

"Coal exports are the number one climate issue in Australia," concluded Phillips.

Related: Photo Gallery from Rising Tide
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Images Courtesy Rising Tide Newcastle

Newcastle currently exports around 90 million tonnes of coal per annum (Mtpa), making it the world's biggest coal port. The industry is dominated by transnational mining corporations BHPBilliton, Xstrata, and Rio Tinto. Newcastle coal exports are expected to more than doubled to 211 Mtpa capacity with the current export expansions implemented. Planning is now underway for a fourth Newcastle coal terminal to take exports to more than 300Mtpa.

Coal exports are Australia's biggest contribution to climate change (creating more greenhouse pollution than all domestic sources combined), but the emissions from coal exports are not included in our greenhouse accounts.

Round the world protest against coal mining, export and power generation are growing.

In Scotland on March 22 around 25 environmental activists occupied the site of a controversial open cast coal mine in Fife. UK Coal plans to mine 720,000 tonnes of coal from the site over a two year nine month period. However, the site of the mine takes in the Black Woods area, which is regarded as a haven for wildlife reported stv. More information from Coal Action Scotland

In the Czech Republic twelve Greenpeace activists today (March 22) climbed the 300 metre high chimney of the Prunerov II coal-fired power station to hang a banner denouncing it as a ‘Global Shame’. The action follows the forced resignation of the Czech environment Minister after he refused to approve a 25 year extension to the plants operating life.

From the top of the chimney stack, in Northern Bohemia, Greenpeace Climate and Energy campaigner Jan Rovensky said: “The Prunerov coal plant is a global shame. Plans to extend its life make a mockery of efforts to protect the environment, people and avoid catastrophic global climate change. It should be shut down by 2015 and replaced with energy efficiency measures and investments in renewable energy. Then the Czech Republic’s global shame would become a global example.”

Protest campaigns to stop the highly destructive Mountain Top Removal mining in the US Appalachian mountains are continuing. More Information: Mountain Justice | Climate Ground Zero

Greenpeace activists highlight Climate Change on Grounded Coal Carrier

Nobby's Beach, Newcastle, Australia — Greenpeace activists used laser lights projected onto the grounded coal carrier Pasha Bulker to protest the continued expansion of NSW's coal industry and its contribution to climate change. Messages beamed onto the side of the stranded ship included 'COAL CAUSES CLIMATE CHAOS', 'THIS IS WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE LOOKS LIKE', and 'LET'S EXPORT SOLAR PANELS INSTEAD'.

The Pasha Bulker ran aground on Nobbys Beach in Newcastle on the 8th June in the severe weather that recently hit NSW's coastline.

Steve Shallhorn, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Chief Executive said “We know burning coal causes climate change and, consequently, extreme weather impacts such as the fierce storms that lashed NSW causing the Pasha Bulker to run aground. Yet very few commentators have made the ironic link between the coal carrier and climate change.”

“Every tonne of coal we burn here in Australia or export will return as climate change impacts. We are already seeing such impacts; severe droughts, bushfires and storms. These are predicted to become more frequent and more intense unless we make deep cuts to our own CO2 emissions, at least 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, and this cannot be achieved if Australia continues its reliance on coal.” said Shallhorn.

The NSW state Labor government is planning to upgrade Newcastle's coal exporting facilities and to open new coal mines such as the Anvil Hill mine in the Hunter Valley recently approved. According to Greenpeace Australia this mine alone will contribute 27 million tonnes of CO2 each year - equivalent to doubling the number of cars on NSW roads.

“Every tonne of coal we burn here in Australia or export will return as climate change impacts,” Shallhorn said. “We are already seeing such impacts; severe droughts, bushfires and storms. These are predicted to become more frequent and more intense unless we make deep cuts to our own CO2 emissions, at least 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, and this cannot be achieved if Australia continues its reliance on coal.”

According to Greenpeace, insurance companies have estimated that the recent storms in NSW could cost the insurance sector up to $500 million.

Update: 2015: chart of rainfall showing 2007 spike

@ClimateSystem Ask and ye shall receive pic.twitter.com/3be4M5SZjF

— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) April 21, 2015

More Information:

* Greenpeace: More photos
* Stop the Newcastle Coal Export Terminal - Take the Pledge
* Rising Tide Australia
* Newcastle Street March! Tell the ALP: “Save the climate – say no to coal!” 31st June 2007

Sources:

* What climate change looks like Greenpeace Australia Pacific June 27, 2007
* Climate chaos beaches coal ship at Newcastle Rising Tide Newcastle

Australia: Activists confront NSW Premier over Doubling of Coal Exports

NSW Premier Morris Iemma has been confronted by climate change activists at the foot of of the world's biggest coal port this morning, about the Government's plans to double coal exports from Newcastle - massively increasing the state's contribution to global climate change. The Premier is campaigning in the NSW State Election to be held on 24 March.

The Premier's security team took to a group of climate change activists this morning during his visit to a Newcastle factory. The Premier was in his car being driven into Downer EDI to inspect new rail carriages being built by the company.

Several protesters, from climate action group, Rising Tide (http://risingtide.org.au) concerned over massive coal expansion in the region, jumped onto the Premier's' car.

Protesters were violently crash-tackled to the ground and put into headlock by the Premier's security team.

As the Premier's car arrived at the EDI rail sheds this morning, next to the Kooragang Coal Terminal, 9 climate change activists from Rising Tide Newcastle stood in front of the Premier's car, attempting to engage him about his government's plans to double Newcastle coal exports.

The Premier's vehicle drove through the demonstrators, tearing a large banner.

A spokesperson for the protesters, Georgina Woods, said "Newcastle coal exports are this state's biggest contribution to global climate change, producing more greenhouse pollution than every other activity in this state combined. If the Iemma government was serious about climate change, they would be developing a plan for Newcastle to move away from the coal industry. Instead, the Iemma Government is currently doubling Newcastle coal exports."

The demonstators rejected the Premier's claims that he was attacked. "At no stage did we attempt to grab or touch the Premier in any way. We simply wanted to get as close to him as possible to attempt to engage him on the issue of coal exports. Morris Iemma can no longer ignore this issue."

Ms Woods said the people were not trying to hurt the Premier. "We were just trying to get our point across that we can't afford to increase Newcastle's coal exports any further," she said. "We do feel really strongly about this issue and we were trying very hard to get the Premier's attention and he was totally ignoring us, but nobody was trying to attack anyone. All we needed to do was to make our point."

Rising Tide Newcastle has hit out at the Labor party for what it says is misleading and cowardly greenhouse emissions policy that will condemn NSW to accelerated climate change. Rising Tide say NSW is directly responsible for 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent entering the atmosphere every year. Carbon dioxide released from exported NSW coal which is burnt overseas, comes to an additional 220 million tonnes per year. Neither figure shows any indication of falling in the foreseeable future.

Rising Tide say: "The trajectory NSW is following is going to devastate the ecology of this state. The Labor Government’s plan does not cut emissions by anywhere near the degree necessary to avoid a 2ºC warming scenario, which will lead to nearly 80% loss in coral reef systems globally and an up to 70 per increase in forest fires in the coming decades..."

"The Labor Government is living in a fantasy land when it comes to climate change..." Currently Newcastle exports over 80 million tonnes of coal per year. Recent extensions have lifted capacity to over 100 million tonnes per year. Two separate projects are also awaiting decisions from the NSW Government - the proposed expansion of the Kooragang Coal Terminal, and the proposed construction of a new Coal Export Terminal next door, Rising Tide say in a communique.

Together, these two projects would lift the coal export capacity of Newcastle to 211 million tonnes per year. At that level, the greenhouse emissions from Newcastle coal exports would rival the emissions from every single source within Australia's borders - every coal plant, every steel mill, every vehicle, every land clearing operation...

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Recently a satirical website created by Rising Tide Newcastle was shut down by powerful coal industry lobby group, the NSW Minerals Council, before being relocated offshore. SEE: http://www.miningnsw.com.au/

In February, members of the environmental action group Rising Tide Newcastle built a plywood and 44-gallon drum obstacle to block the doors of NSW Labor's Sydney office. The activists placed a large wooden sign across the entrance of the ninth-floor offices of the NSW ALP shortly before 9am. One member locked herself to the barrier with a large metal bicycle lock. Police were called to the building shortly after 9am and, after negotiations, 10 of the 12 activists left the building voluntarily at 10.10am. Police cut the lock from Dean's neck and arrests were made.

SOURCES:
* Security scuffles with protesters as Iemma tours factory - ABC
* Labor party policy is condemning NSW to catastrophe - Rising Tide
* PERTH INDYMEDIA: Coal lobby censors climate change website
* Two arrests in coal protest - News Ltd: Feb 27, 07
* Iemma confronted over coal exports and climate change - RISING TIDE NSW
* perth.indymedia.org/index.php?action=newswire&parentview=52498

* See photos and full report: http://risingtide.org.au/node/414