Coal not clean energy

ON behalf of the people of Bogia and Angoram districts, including those around the country who believe in green technology to protect and save our environment, I voice disappointment that the leaders of Morobe are saying it is OK to burn coal to produce electricity.
The harmful effects of burning coal is helping to deplete our ozone layer and speed up the warming of the planet.
Burning coal to produce electricity contributes to global warming, melts the ice caps and glaciers and leads to the rise in sea levels.
The harmful products and effects of burning thermal coal are contributing to the changing weather patterns and declining crop yields.
We have recently signed and ratified the Paris COP 21 agreement regarding climate change and the use of green technology.
We need to respect and honour that agreement.
For heaven’s sake, don’t listen to advisers who encourage the burning of thermal coal to produce electricity.These advisers are only after a quick buck and they prey on our ignorance.
The Government should stop this project which is being planned for Lae. There is proven reliable green technology available which are more economic and environmentally friendly to produce and can generate between 50KW and 50GW of electricity to power a city or town. Why are we not using two per cent of the LNG we produce locally for electricity generation?
It is cleaner, efficient, effective and cheaper to use LNG to run gas turbines. I understand that we have enough LNG for at least 130 years. Using LNG for power generation will give us cheaper electricity.
We need to be serious in our endeavors to combat climate change.
We need to be thinking globally and act locally. It is written that those who destroy Earth will be destroyed.

Luimack Johnson
Community leader and green technology advocate