Lignite not right
It is with concern that we watch the progress of lignite field development in Southland. The pilot briquetting plant at Mataura is the beginning of selling off the family jewels at a motgagee sale. The process requires high-energy inputs and the product will most likely end up being exported to China to help drive its economic boom, with little regard to environmental impacts like carbon emissions.
One suggestion that has been made by scientists with long term sustainability as their goal, is to have a 10-year moritorium on any further development of coal/lignite resources in New Zealand.
At that time the resource will be of much higher value to New Zealand to use internally to fuel our economy. By then the technologies will be developed to ensure minimal environmental impact on not just our local environment, but also with consideration of effects on the global system.
This needs to be an election issue and it is with disappointment that we watch National pushing its lignite barrow (memories of Muldoon and the Think Big Liquid Fuels Trust Board investigations).
We wonder the Blue Greens sit on this issue and whether Labour would equally pursue the hint of a quick buck.
Come on Southland – let's give our local politicians the message that we do not want to lose our green pastures for black holes, for someone else's gain.
Our province can be prosperous on the back of well run agriculture and tourism. That is our forte and where we should focus.
RON AND GAY MUNRO
Mokotua
6 comments:
What the Munros are proposing sounds entirely reasonable,long-term vision and big picture thinking.
Can't see National liking it at all, or Labour for that matter. They have still got to apologise for their market-knows-best mistakes of the last century.
Only the Greens would thrill to the Munro's letter I'm saddened to say Jonesy, and I notice they didn't get a mention :-)
I've sent a supportive letter in already.
Perhaps you too might like to put some weight behind their proposal?
Gotta love that command and control. No, really sir, you have to.
Step this way please.
I don't think anyone can understand your veiled allusions here Shane.
Your plain words maybe, but the codified stuff, not so sure.
full of sound and fury,
signifying nothing.
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