Is direct action enough?

Direct Action does constrain the level of carbon emissions by a 'safeguard mechanism' but this is so lax that it enables industry, including the largest and dirtiest electricity generators, to increase emission by at least 150 million tones per annum. There is no indication government intends to prevent this by tightening the mechanism in any way which might increase the cost of electricity – or diminish the role of coal.

Apparently the safeguard mechanism does not apply to newly establishing businesses which are free to emit carbon to any level, rather than impede their development. This indicates a policy of placing business expansion ahead of increased emissions. This is further evidenced by bi-partisan support for new and expanded coal mining.

Promoting Coal

Federal and State Governments continue to approve development of new open cut coalmines and extension of existing ones. These mines are notorious for unavoidable methane emissions when overburden is removed and coal deposits are broken-up. Further, the product of these mines is almost entirely exported to countries where the mining industry promotes their use by industries which burn coal and in doing so produce major new increases in carbon emissions. This suggests Australian government rejection of any responsibility for promoting global emissions reduction.

Coal mining ventures result in massive consumption and risk contamination of ground water on which Australian agriculture depends. The justification for new coal mining activity is that it provides new employment opportunities and additional sources of public revenue, both being deemed more important than risk posed by increased carbon emissions contributing to dangerous global warming and the irreversible damage this will cause to the environment.

The willingness of governments to continue subsidizing the coal mining industry (eg. for fuel and rehabilitation) and State government approval of new and expanded coal mining, ignores the fact that the industry is very capital intensive, endeavors to employ as few people as possible. At present, it employs around 45,000 people, less than 0.5% of the Australian workforce.

It should be remembered that construction/operation of solar power stations and local distribution networks also creates new employment opportunities, produces emissions free electricity and promotes its wider, more inventive use. A long overdue declaration that no new fossil fuelled power stations will be built in Australia suggests on going over-dependence on coal as a revenue source.

Increasing dependence for public revenue on expanding coal mining is dangerous because:

1. It ignores the finding of climate scientists that at least 70% of all presently known fossil fuel deposits must be left in the ground if we are to avoid dangerous global warming, and
2. It ignores new and rapidly developing technologies enabling far more flexible solar power generation and storage and yet to be demonstrated, competitive power generation by Generation IV nuclear reactors.

Either of these could result in rapid global reduction or eventual abandonment of coal use as an energy source, causing rapid decline in public revenue derived from coal mining. Federal/State governments have not planned for this eventuality. They may experience a significant, possibly unmanageable revenue shortfall in the near future as demand for coal slumps. Simultaneously, coal mining will becomes an increasingly insecure employer.

Mitigation

Action to reduce consumption of electricity generated by coal fired power stations, known as mitigation, reduces the amount of carbon emitted by them. An example of mitigation is installation of solar hot water and photovoltaic panels on house roof-tops which reduces the amount of coal generated electricity consumed by each dwelling.