Reef or coal, Gore asks PM
FORMER US vicepresident Al Gore has a message for our Prime Minister: “Malcolm, don’t build the mine.”
He is, of course, referring to the government’s plan to allow Indian mining giant Adani to build a mega-mine, known as the Carmichael coal mining project, in North Queensland.
Mr Gore is in Australia ahead of the release of An Inconvenient Sequel, the follow up to his Oscarwinning 2006 documentary on global warming.
The movie follows Mr Gore as he travels the world giving his famous presentation and meeting politicians while championing the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.
Asked if he’d ever tried to persuade the Australian government away from pursuing the controversial mining project, he seized the opportunity.
“Well if he’s watching, Malcolm don’t build the mine,” he said. “That’s a direct way to do it.”
Critics and environmental groups opposed to the mine have raised concerns the extra coal exports may damage the Great Barrier Reef because the terminal is on the coast of the heritage area.
It’s a danger Mr Gore says amounts to a grim choice.
“I’ll just put it this way, if you had a choice between a huge new coal mine or the Great Barrier Reef, which would you choose? I’d take the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.
Australia’s big banks have backed away from helping fund the project for both business and environmental reasons.
Last month, Adani announced its board had given final investment approval for the Carmichael mine.
Adani’s spokesman in Australia, Ron Watson, says the company expects to have the financing confirmed by the end of the year.