Coal

Residents of the town of Collinsville, west of Bowen, have just finished a two day blockade of the train line that is used for transporting coal from the Bowen Basin to the Abbot Point coal terminal in North Queensland, Australia. The residents are angry about a proposed increase in rail traffic and the adverse health impacts on residents from the increase in vibrations and coal dust emissions, and the problem of delays for emergency vehicles in a town bisected by the rail line.

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

Round the world protests against coal mining, export and power generation are growing with actions in the Czech Republic, Scotland and Australia occurring on March 22.

Prunerov, Czech Republic,  22 March, 2010  -- Twelve Greenpeace activists today climbed the 300 metre high chimney of the Prunerov II coal-fired power station to hang a banner denouncing it as a ‘Global Shame’ today.  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.

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Since the 18.12.09 ROBIN WOOD-Activists squat several trees in the Gählerpark in Hamburg Altona to impende the contruction of a heating pipeline for the planned coal power plant Hamburg Moorburg, which would mean the loss of the trees in the park. The company proposing the pipeline is Vattenfall, a Swedish corporation.

In December Kate Jones, the Queensland Climate Change Minister, stated "Queenslanders are by

Christmas Elves and Farmers delivered 2 sacks of coal and 300 Christmas Cards from Brisbane residents to Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh on the 21st December protesting further coal mining expansion in nature refuges and farmland.

While the world debates emissions targets and climate funding amounts for developing countries in Copenhagen, a new research centre was launched in Perth on December 3 dedicated to developing technologies designed to help establish sustainable, low-emission, geothermal cities. At the same time the Western Australian State Government is planning to double the number of coal-fired power stations at Collie.

Related: Activists plan first Camp for Climate Action

Early on Saturday morning two concerned citizens, Dea Goblirsch and Nick Martin, locked down to a drill rig on Coal River Mountain's Bee Tree mountaintop removal site, effectively stopping blasting. Two others, Grace Williams and Laura Von Dohlen, joined them in direct support, holding a banner with the message "Save Coal River Mountain".

Related: Climate Ground Zero | Coalfield uprising leads to arrests at gov's office | Dr. James Hansen and Daryl Hannah Arrested | Coalfield Uprising Grows, More Sit-ins | Climate Pledge of Resistance | Medically defensible energy policy on climate: phase out coal