Climate-damaging West Coast coal expansion threatens health
Health professionals concerned about climate change are alarmed by Bathurst Resources Limited’s announcement this week
that site clearance for coal mining on the Denniston Plateau is to start on 1 July.
“Coal is one of the most carbon-intensive fossil fuels”, says Dr Rhys Jones from OraTaiao: The NZ Climate and Health
Council. “This means that it poses serious risks to health through its contribution to climate change.”
Climate change threatens human health in a variety of ways, such as through food and water shortages, extreme weather
events and increased infectious disease. “To avoid a dangerously changing climate, most of the world’s known reserves of
fossil fuels must stay in the ground”, continues Dr Jones.
Coal mining is also associated with occupational illness, injury and high death rates, and mining communities tend to
fare poorly in terms of economic well-being. “Burning of coal also damages health through air pollution – our exported
coal in China and India contributes to some of the worst air pollution in the world”, says Dr Jones.
A recent report has highlighted that New Zealand needs a planned transition away from boom-and-bust mining toward a
sustainable economy where profits stay local. “Stable employment is an important foundation for health in our
communities. Everyone on the West Coast deserves sustainable economic development that creates stable jobs and promotes
health and wellbeing”, says Dr Jones.
“Our changing climate is the biggest threat to global health, including for New Zealand”, Dr Jones concludes. “We need
to take a healthier approach to our future both for stable employment and a stable climate.”
ENDS