14 DAY TRIAL // A report made public by the Greenpeace organization only yesterday states that, should Queensland push forward with its plans to dig up as many as 9 mega coal mines in this part of the world, this Australian state stands to become a major contributor to climate change.
This is because, should the coal extracted from these lands be burnt within the perimeter of this state, Queensland would become the world's 7th largest greenhouse gases emitter.
According to said report, the 9 over-sized mines will send about 705 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere on a yearly basis once the coal enters the energy industry and gets burnt, rendering all other efforts to cool down the earth and keep global temperatures under control futile.
More precisely, such an increase in current levels of air pollution could result in global average temperatures going up by as much as 6 degrees Celsius (42.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Not to mention the fact that, since the coal extracted from Queensland will enter the international market and will need be shipped to various other locations, both the state's coastline and other marine ecosystems are to be severely damaged by the fact that vessels carrying coal will cross the ocean ever more frequently.
“Exploitation of the coal reserves in the Galilee Basin is incompatible with the internationally agreed goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures,” explains Greenpeace.
Furthermore, “In fact, it would take us in precisely the opposite direction, releasing dangerously high levels of CO2 emissions. It would undermine Australia's commitment to combating climate change and put the future of one of the world's greatest treasures – Australia's Great Barrier Reef – in jeopardy.”
Apparently, Queensland only has plans to develop these mines if the global market experiences an increase in coal demands.
Therefore, their becoming a reality can easily be avoided by making sure most of the industries now up and running gradually cut down on their dependence on this energy resource.