Export coal to fight climate change: Kelly.
Coalition MP De-Anne Kelly says Australia must increase coal exports as part of the solution to global climate change.
The Federal Member for Dawson, whose electorate includes the massive Bowen Basin coal fields west of Mackay in Queensland, says it is possible to increase Australia's coal exports and reduce global warming.
She says the Coalition is looking at innovative ways to provide the industry with a win-win situation in the fight against climate change.
"We are proposing to increase our coal exports and at the same time export innovative clean coal technologies," she said.
"If we don't export coal, other countries will."
The MP says export coal should be excluded from any future Howard Government emissions trading scheme.
"It could, for instance, exclude all of our coking coal in central Queensland, which is used for metallurgical purposes and exported," she said.
"That would be a very, very big plus for us."
Mrs Kelly says Australia has plenty of time to develop clean energy technology to fix the problem of climate change.
Meanwhile, a leading mining union is calling for coal companies to fund research into clean coal technology.
Steve Pierce from the central Queensland branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Electrical Union says he is confident both sides of politics understand the importance of the industry to Australia's economy.
Mr Pierce says a massive investment in clean energy technology is needed to secure Australia's export coal industry.
"The problem is that the coal companies that are making millions and billions of dollars out of coal exports are sitting on their hands spending the change out of their ashtrays on clean coal technology with a view that, like everything else, they get that the Australian public should pay for it for them."
Print Email
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment