Coal and Kingsnorth: the story so far by Jim Footner, climate campaigner
After the best part of a decade with Greenpeace I am taking a short break to do something different for the first half of this year. For six months I am going to volunteer building sustainable low carbon housing in Burkina Faso and then on to help develop a decentralised energy campaign plan with Greenpeace India in Bangalore. As I was clearing my desk in readiness for this break I found myself rediscovering some of the old campaign plans and materials from the last few years. Intrigued to be reminded of how far we have come, I thought it would be useful to round-up everything that has happened on the coal campaign - my project - since it began.
In fact that was almost exactly 3 years ago to the day. I was packing up after a long day at work and about to turn off my computer when a harmless looking email dropped in to my inbox. It was from an energy journalist, who's also a friend of mine, giving me a heads up that EON was about to submit an application for a massive new coal fired power station; somewhere down in Kent apparently, but I didn't know where exactly. I didn't clock it at the time, but that email basically set the course of my campaigning life for the next 3 years. Back then, the concept of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) was little known outside of a handful of academics playing with equipment in laboratories. As is customary at this time of year, the newspapers were full of scare stories about the Russians turning off our gas, and the energy minister of the moment (John Hutton) was warning that Britain would face black outs if we didn't build new coal and nuclear power stations pretty quickly.
Back in 2006, no one really knew that much about coal. The majority of the population didn't know that we even still used coal, thinking that all got dealt with as part of Thatcher's assault on the unions in the 80s. There was little awareness that coal remains a major component of our energy mix, that coal is about the most climate-damaging way we can think of to generate energy and that there was a very determined intention on the part of the Government to make sure we build a whole new generation of these climate culprits. Within months of EON's application to build a new plant at Kingsnorth, there were rumours that up to 8 new plants were being considered by different power companies at sites around the country. Kingsnorth was first in line, with the company expecting to gain approval by the end of 2007 and to start construction in 2009. If the plan had gone as intended, the bulldozers would have already gone in by now, levelling the land next to the existing power station. Once that first plant was out of the way, the industry expected that the flood gates would open and the new coal rush would begin.
Things haven't turned out like that.
We challenged that first application locally, brought together a diverse and powerful coalition of civil society groups, political parties and scientists opposed to plans for new coal plants, we lobbied, took direct action, presented our case to the media, presented our case in court (and were acquitted), talked to utilities, the public and anyone else who would listen.
Gradually our message gained traction. Now we have a new Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, who has begun to grasp the scale of what he needs to do. He has put a partial constraint on coal, requiring any new plant to capture and store at least a portion of their emissions. He has said he expects new carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) to be ready to be fitted at commercial scale on the whole of a full sized plant, not just part of the plant, by 2020. He says that all new plants consented from today should have this equipment fully fitted by 2025. Quite how he intends to ensure this will happen is still not clear, but because of the progress we have made to get this far, instead of 8 dirty coal plants, we're now dealing with the threat of limited emissions from only a few coal plants.
Our coal work is now focussed on enshrining as much of the encouraging aspirations set out in the Government's Framework for the Development of Clean Coal (FDCC) in legislation, to minimise the possibility of the constraint being rolled back, and to position ourselves for the debate about exactly how and by when we in the UK will almost completely drive carbon dioxide out of Britain's electricity generating system. At the moment our work is focussed on the Government Energy Bill that is progressing through Parliament. The Energy Bill is the first opportunity for the government to show that it will progress regulation of coal emissions at the same time as finding money for companies to test CCS. The way MPs vote on the Bill is also a signal about Tory and Lib Dem intentions on coal after the election. Currently both the opposition parties support an Emissions Performance Standard (a limit on emissions similar to the standards set up for cars). The Lib Dem version is in writing and is a bold proposal. David Cameron has also personally committed in speeches to a similar strong policy from his party, which is good news, but the written detail is still not clear. What's crucial is that any new government later this year is bound in to regulate coal emissions and that any new money they give for CCS is matched by tough restrictions on emissions. We therefore have to keep the pressure up now and make sure all parties know this issue won't go away.
Below is a brief description of what happened and when over the last three years, detailing the key moments of one of our most successful campaigns. We still have not succeeded in protecting the climate threat from the threat of new emissions from coal fired power stations, but we have succeeded in securing one of the most progressive coal policies anywhere in the world, and we don't intend to stop until we feel confident that we have seen off that threat for good.
We achieved this success because hundreds of thousands of people across the country took the time to have their say. So whether you sent an email, had a meeting, commented online, gave your support to the one of the various organisations that has been instrumental in this campaign or took part in a protest or a direct action, this success belongs to you.
Many thanks for your help. Happy reading!
Kingsnorth and coal: The story so far...
E.ON applies to Secretary of State for Business and Energy, John Hutton, for permission to build a new coal plant at Kingsnorth. (December 2006)
Medway Council is consulted and considers its response - receives more than 10,000 petitions and eventually votes in favour of the plant but recommends a public inquiry into the plan. Lib Dem councillors say they've been ‘bullied' by E.ON. (January 2007)
Al Gore says "I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants." (August 2007)
Greenpeace shuts down existing Kingsnorth plant reducing CO2 output. More than 30 activists arrested. (October 2007)
Professor James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, writes to the Prime Minister saying with the Kingsnorth decision he has the potential to influence "the future of the planet."
Greenpeace investigation hits the headlines when we expose collusion between E.ON and BERR over potential conditions for a Kingsnorth approval. (January 2008)
Greenpeace blockades annual coal industry conference at Lord's Cricket grounds which was to be addressed by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks. Beatle Paul McCartney offers his support to the protest as he walks past! (February 2008)
Royal Society criticises government coal policy. Says new coal-fired power stations that fail to capture 90% of their carbon emissions by 2020 should be closed down. (April 2008)
Writer George Monbiot and Welsh climate activists invade and occupy the site of Europe's largest open cast coal mine in South Wales. (April 2008)
Liberal Democrat Party expresses its opposition to Kingsnorth plans. (May 2008)
Conservative Party comes out against Kingsnorth plans proposing all coal plants should have some CCS before the go ahead is permitted. (June 2008)
Sir Jonathon Porritt, Head of the government's Sustainable Development Commission, writes to the Secretary of State saying a new generation of coal plants would, "destroy the overall credibility of the government's climate change programme." (June 2008)
29 climate protesters "hijack" coal train headed to Drax power plant shovelling coal onto the train tracks and unfurling a banner, "Leave it in the ground." (June 2008)
Cross Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee slams Kingsnorth plans. (July 2008)
The Greenpeace ‘Give Coal the Boot' campaign is launched through the Active Supporter Network (July 2008)
Grassroots coal campaigns appear in Scotland, Northumbria, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Telford, Derbyshire and Kent during the summer 2008
Independent research from energy consultants, Pöyry, shows that no new fossil fuel capacity would be required before 2020 if Britain hits its 2020 renewables and efficiency targets. (August 2008)
Sir David King, the government's former chief science adviser, says it's dangerous to assume we can keep using coal until CCS is proven. (August 2008)
Climate Camp outside Kingsnorth for ten days. Hundreds arrested taking direct action against the plans. (August 2008)
The Kingsnorth 6 go on trial - Professor James Hansen of NASA gives evidence in a courtroom in Kent to spellbound jury - activists acquitted. (September 2008)
Environment Agency chief, Lord Smith, says new coal plants without CCS should be banned. (September 2008)
The Independent and the BBC report cabinet split over Kingsnorth plans saying David Miliband and Hilary Benn privately opposed to Kingsnorth plans. (September 2008)
John Hutton runs consultation into ‘carbon capture readiness.' (Closes September 2008)
John Hutton shuffled out and new decision maker on Kingsnorth will be new Secretary of State for climate and energy, Ed Miliband. (October 2008)
Stop Climate Chaos and its member organisations including the Women's Institute, RSPB, Oxfam and Tearfund join the Rainbow Warrior to deliver pledge against Kingsnorth on behalf of more than four million members. (October 2008)
Greenpeace armada carries out ‘amphibious incursion' of Kingsnorth carrying the flags of the 30 least polluting countries in the world combined, the equivalent combined emissions of which match proposed Kingsnorth plant. (October 2008)
Lord Nicholas Stern tells the Today Programme he believes no new coal plant should be allowed without CCS. (October 2008)
Lord Turner and the Committee on Climate Change, commissioned by the Prime Minister to advise how the government can meet it's legal commitments under the Climate Act, says no coal plant should be allowed to operate without full CCS by the early 2020s. (December 2008)
Climate Camp protesters invade E.ON HQ dressed as Santas with bags of coal. (December 2008)
New York Times describes the Kingsnorth 6 ‘climate change defence' and their acquittal as one of the ideas that changed the world in 2008. (January 2009)
Britain labelled ‘climate criminal' because of Kingsnorth plans by representatives of antipoverty charities in 40 developing countries. (February 2009)
Award winning actor, Pete Postlethwaite says he will hand back his OBE if Kingsnorth is approved. (March 2009)
Ed Miliband says, "I hear what people like Pete Postlethwaite are saying and we can't build any unabated coal-fired power stations. But we can't do it with renewable energy alone." Ed Miliband tells the ECCC Committee, "I think we have got to go beyond what we consulted on last year, which is just carbon capture readiness. I personally do not think that that is adequate as a position in terms of a climate change and the challenge we tackle and in terms of driving CCS towards the market." It is revealed that Ed Miliband will launch a review of coal policy "within weeks." (March 2009)
Energy Minister, Mike O'Brien tells Parliament, "A decision on the application for a replacement coal-fired unit at Kingsnorth will follow the conclusion of both the carbon capture readiness consultation and the planned new consultation on a new framework for coal-fired power stations." (March 2009)
X-Files actress Gillian Anderson, actress and activist Jerry Hall (Mick Jagger's former wife), and model Laura Bailey join with hundreds of mums and kids to protest at Parliament against Kingsnorth with the banner, "Our lives in your hands." (March 2009)
In a Parliamentary answer to Greg Clark MP, Energy Minister Mike O'Brien confirmed, "The timetable for publication of a planned new consultation on a new framework for coal fired power stations has not yet been set." (March 2009)
114 climate activists arrested in ‘pre-emptive strike' by police ahead of alleged plan to take direct action against an E.ON-owned coal plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar near Nottingham. (April 2009)
Ed Miliband announces a review of coal policy that rules out new unabated coal stations and examines CCS options. (April 2009)
Greenpeace joins the Big If coalition inviting the public to tell Ed Miliband what action they will take if he consents new coal power stations. (May 2009)
A Nick Broomfield film, ‘A Time Comes' is launched and Greenpeace campaign networks arrange screenings of the film around the country (May 2009)
4th July 2009 sees hundreds of supporters from the Big If coalition encircle Kingsnorth power station in ‘The Miliband'
Greenpeace volunteers join a Christian Aid led service at Coventry Cathedral addressed by Professor James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and then march with Stop Climate Chaos coalition to protest at E.ON HQ. (19 March 2009)
Activists ‘doorstep' Ed Miliband at his constituency office in Doncaster and at his DECC offices in London and tell him what they will do if he consents new coal power stations. (12 and 14 September)
Ed Miliband presents his Framework for the Development of Clean Coal (FDCC) to Parliament, in which he announces that the Government will fund four demonstration plants, two of which will capture 90% of their emissions from day one. Of the remaining two, it is likely that only one of them will be a new coal plant and the other would be an experiment on an existing plant. This means only one of the four is likely to threaten additional emissions from new coal. Miliband also announced a new Energy Bill which is intended to enable the Government to collect a levy on consumer bills to pay for the four demonstration projects. (November 2009)
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