Lib Dems Back Kent Climate Protest

9.37.51am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Aug 2008

Local Candidate for the European Parliament Antony Hook and Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies joined over 1,500 peaceful protesters against plans for a new German owned coal power-station at Kingsnorth on the Isle of Grain in Kent

If built, the new coal burner will emit up to 700 million tonnes of carbon over Kent and the South East.

Greenpeace say that the 1,600MW plant will emit so much CO2 that it will cancel the savings achieved by every wind turbine in operation now across the country.

Antony Hook and Chris Davies MEP after the Climate Camp Rally at Kingsnorth on the evening of 7 August.

Mr Davies is leading European Parliament negotiations with member state governments for a new EU law to promote carbon capture and storage (CCS). The technology involves separating CO2 from coal for permanent storage miles underground in saline aquifers or in rocks previously filled with natural gas or oil. High start-up costs are expected to fall rapidly as its use develops.

Antony Hook said, "People in Kent and the South East want cleaner air. Climate change threatens catastrophe for billions of people across the world, but if we allow the building of more conventional coal power stations there will no point saving energy, buying more fuel efficient cars or covering our landscape with windfarms."

"Labour are offering little practical action for the environment. Unless Europe takes a strong lead we will not persuade major coal users like China and India to accept CCS as part of an international deal to combat climate change."

"No more coal power plants must be built without CCS. I am proud to have joined with peaceful protesters at Kingsnorth as part of the effort to stop more pollution in our area."

EU Prime Ministers pledged last year to support construction of 12 commercial CCS demonstration plants by 2015, but none have yet been named. The UK Government is currently seeking bids for a first project but is limiting its promise of financial support to one of 300MW generating capacity, far less than that planned at Kingsnorth.

One third of Britain's electricity currently comes from coal. The International Energy Agency predicts that world-wide use of the fossil fuel will increase by 70% over the next 20 years, contributing hugely to CO2 emissions the threat of climate change and rising seas.