Climate activists in Copenhagen protest coal use

Discussion

September 28, 2009

Anonymous The Daily Independent Mon Sep 28, 2009, 08:14 PM EDT

COPENHAGEN — Hundreds of climate activists protested Saturday against the use of fossil fuels, but were blocked from entering a coal-firing plant they had hoped to shut down by chaining themselves to conveyor belts.

Police held back the 1,500 or so protesters from entering the coal- and oil-fueled Amagervaerket power station on Copenhagen's Amager Island, police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said.

About 100 people were taken into custody, Danish news agency Ritzau said.

The protesters said they had aimed to stop operations at the power plant, owned by Swedish energy firm Vattenfall, in order to draw attention to their demands for stronger climate policies from politicians and energy companies before the U.N. climate conference in December in Copenhagen.

One of the plant's three units uses coal, while the other two have been converted into biomass-firing units.

Global leaders hope to reach a new agreement at the December conference to limit greenhouse gas emissions thought to cause global warming. The agreement would replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which bound 37 industrial countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent of 1990 levels by 2012.

The Kyoto accord placed no obligations on developing countries, but now industrialized nations want countries including India and China to agree to stall and eventually cut their emissions.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Text Only

Science/Environment

Clean-coal project pushing for help from lawmakers Backers of the proposed $2 billion Cash Creek coal-gasification project in western Kentucky asked lawmakers Thursday to pass legislation that would force utilities to purchase the higher-priced electricity it would generate.
February 25, 2010
Coal legislators defend industry as activists call for change Coal came under attack Thursday in Frankfort from a citizen activist group but not much is likely to change according to some key lawmakers.
February 25, 2010 1 Photo
Grayson airs TV ad attacking Rand Paul on coal Republican Trey Grayson paints himself as pro-coal and pegs the perceived frontrunner in the U.S. Senate race as unfriendly to the mining industry in a political ad airing in the mining region of eastern Kentucky.
February 23, 2010
Beleaguered US to blow up its chemical stockpiles Under the gun to destroy the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile — and now all but certain to miss their deadline — Army officials have a plan to hasten the process: Blow some of them up.
February 19, 2010
Appalachian strip mines have long-term environmental effect Reclaimed surface mines in Central Appalachia have continuing environmental impact after their reclamation bonds are released but are not commonly monitored by state and federal regulators, says a new report from the Government Accountability Office.
February 19, 2010 1 Photo 1 Link
UN climate chief quits, leaves talks hanging The sharp-tongued U.N. official who shepherded troubled climate talks for nearly four years announced his resignation Thursday, leaving an uncertain path to a new treaty on global warming.
February 18, 2010
Ky. National Guard adds solar panels to facility The Kentucky National Guard is going green.
February 18, 2010
Bees impacted by mountaintop removal coal mining Mountaintop removal coal mining is destroying the flowering trees and plants that honey bees depend on for food in the central Appalachians.
February 18, 2010
Cold Spring man has eye on the sky Fred Calvert doesn't have to go far for a view that's out of this world.
February 15, 2010 1 Photo
Still time for public to comment on Ky.'s forest Kentuckians with an interest in the state's trees and forests are being asked to comment on a draft report that outlines forest-related issues.
February 15, 2010 1 Photo
More Science/Environment Headlines

Science/Environment

Search Results

Discussion

Climate activists in Copenhagen protest coal use

Site Map

Contact Us