Greenpeace ask South Africa to look for alternative to coal

Saturday, 15 Nov 2008

Reuters reported that environmental group Greenpeace has opened its first office in Africa and urged South Africa, the continent's biggest economy, to reduce its dependence on coal and cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

Experts say poverty means Africa is ill able to adapt to severe weather changes forecast to be triggered by global warming, while African nations have been among the lowest emitters of the gases blamed for causing it.

South Africa relies on coal to generate much of its electricity. State utility Eskom has previously said it plans to cut emissions by reducing its reliance on coal and to expand future power output using mainly nuclear power stations.

The environmental group's office will be in Johannesburg, South Africa's commercial capital.

South Africa's government has said it aims to brake rising emissions. It presents a scenario under which emissions will rise until 2020-25, stay flat for up to a decade and then fall. It will set mandatory energy efficiency targets and a gradual shift away from coal.