Dozens of people were injured and dozens more arrested after police fired teargas at residents of Yinggehai in China. They were protesting about a planned coal power plant, which could cause serious and dangerous pollution in the area.
Over a thousand people took part in the protests, which have been going on for days. It isn’t the first time residents have tried to stop a coal plant. In April, plans were scrapped following similar protests and the plant was going to be built elsewhere. However, the next town on the list didn’t want it either and so officials went back to plan A.
China has to move away from coal, which is endangering the lives of its people, causing enormous environmental degradation and leading to social unrest.
Ask the Chinese authorities to cancel the Yinggehai coal plant plans altogether, not just keep shifting it about.
We the undersigned ask that you put an end to plans to build a coal-based power plant near Yinggehai. Residents have been protesting both this time and when the plant was planned before back in April and they have a valid point. Coal power plants cause significant local pollution, damaging the environment, impacting agriculture and posing a serious health risk.
Fossil fuel based energy also adds to climate change, nationwide air pollution, acid rain and ocean acidification, all of which are things with very serious economic and environmental consequences. It is time China started moving away from coal altogether, developing renewables, which are not only a lot more sustainable but also offer a long-term source of energy.
Opening yet another coal plant, especially one that is attracting so much opposition is not the way forwards. We understand that there is a growing demand for energy, but ask that China lead the way in developing sustainable energy and stop opening new coal plants. Cancelling plans for the Yinggehai plant altogether would be a positive move in the right direction.
Thank you for your attention.
