Coal produces 25% of the world’s energy and 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. Currently 88% of Australia’s electricity is produced from coal, which is responsible for 75% of our greenhouse emissions from energy.

Various Australian Governments are pursuing “clean coal” as their preferred strategy for reducing carbon emissions. There are questions over whether this technology will become available in time to be of any use. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that the majority of CCS deployment will occur in the second half of this century. Scientists are telling us the time to reduce greenhouse emissions is now!

Nuclear power is the other favoured option of the Federal Government. It would take a minimum of ten years for a nuclear powerplant to be built and begin producing electricity. In the meantime, there would be a rise in greenhouse gas emissions due to increased mining, processing and construction of facilities.