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Monday, 20 February 12
COAL BOOM AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN - SUNIL K KUMBHAT
 COALspot.com - The dawn of the 21st century has seen a shift in the world's commercial balance of power, with the dominance of the US, Europe and Japan challenged by the rapid industrialisation of hungry new economies. The rise of the so-called BRIIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India ,Indonesia and China - is giving birth to new global financial centres, vibrant industrial markets and above all surging demand for raw materials to supply new projects.
But where does environmental responsibility fit into this drive for resources?
Growing demand for thermal Coal has created a new coal boom, which is great news for Coal producing countries such as Indonesia, Australia , south Africa . The demand of coal is growing at a massive rate in Asia particularly India and China. Both the coal hungry countries are making efforts to secure supplies by acquiring Coal mines or forming Joint ventures for their new power generating plants.
The demand is fuelling the world prices of coal, although prices are still not as high as witnessed in 2008 when everything peaked before the global financial crisis but there all indications that by 2012/2013 coal prises will reach to record high.
The India and China are becoming the mainstay of the market . Both the countries are having huge Coal reserves ,but still they are importing huge qty of coal to meet there increased demand and as such they are effectively driving the world Coal market and its prices. India’s demand for coal is expected to grow at a faster rate than any other country in the world.
India's rich untapped mineral resources of more than 20 mineral types - including gold, copper, coal and bauxite but the fact that many of these resources are located in rural, heavily forested areas with predominantly tribal populations has raised concerns over the environmental impact of mining operations.
The country has a long history of environmental damage caused by both domestic and international mining companies, as well as the ecological problems from hundreds of abandoned mines in areas like Bihar's Jharia and Rhaniganj coal fields. Like China, India has been plagued by the environmental problems associated with illegal and unlicensed mining operations, which the country's Directorate General of Mines Safety has been ill-equipped to deal with due to funding deficiencies.
Similarly China has come under fire from human rights activists and environmental groups alike for its arguably lax approach to both worker safety (the country has become the mining disaster capital of the world in recent years) and environmental accountability. The Chinese Government's approach to corporate and environmental responsibility has been characterised by outside observers as simply paying lip service to the environment - hinting that ISO guidelines for mining would be welcomed - without implementing practical measures to promote change.
The environmental impact of mining operations in Brazil is also under sharper scrutiny than many other countries, primarily because its borders contain the lion's share of the Amazon rainforest, a haven for biodiversity and one of the most important eco-systems in the world.
As such, environmental awareness is particularly strong in the Brazilian mining industry. Experts from the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards are playing a leadership role in the further development of the recently introduced ISO 26000 international standard on social responsibility. Furthermore, licensing for new mining projects is often legally conditional on the drafting of comprehensive environmental impact studies, reports and extensive public consultations, particularly in areas inhabited by tribal groups.
Although carrying out mining operations in a region like the Amazon will be controversial, the environmental commitment seen here and echoed by many other Brazilian mining companies (including industry giant Vale, which has a complex environmental quality management system based on ISO 14001 standards) provides a useful model of awareness for other BRIC nations, and the global mining industry in general, to follow.
India is emerging as a fast economy, targeting 9-10% annual growth. Realizing the underlying growth potential will largely depend on it's ability to meet energy requirements. Energy sector whose growth targets inter alia depend on coal. At a 9% growth rate, the capacity requirement will be 960Gw and energy requirement will be 4,806 billion kWh. In the light of these projections, coal demand is estimated to rise many fold. Main concentration of Indian companies remains in Indonesia as many new mines are opened for exploration , exploitation and production .Today Indonesia is one of the most rapidly developing coal producing country in the world.
For a strong economy, one needs strong infrastructure and power plants. For strong infrastructure and power plants , one needs steel. Steel is the backbone of an economy, and it is metallurgical coal and thermal coal that is used to produce steel and electricity.
An increase in Coal production is the opposite of what the global climate change forums have wanted to see because coal without any doubt is one of the dirtiest and filthiest fossil fuel in terms of CO2 and when it comes to harmful emissions that most environmentalists and energy economists agree causes global warming.
Coal consumption is going in a direction that policy makers would prefer it not to go.
Critical question is whether there is a willingness amongst coal producers and power generating plants to make their technology cleaner, so it emits less greenhouse gases(GHG) which leads to global warming .Energy scientists have long been voicing concern on the rise in the level of Greenhouse gases, which leads to Global warming and climatic changes that are detrimental to economies worldwide.
The disastrous consequences for global climate change is one topic that has now taken very serious dimension but hardly been realised in a serious enough way by the nations across the world.
The new thermal plants being built are certainly more efficient than older ones. There exist technology to have emission-free power plants - the only constraint is the cost. The cost of clean coal technology is very high, yet when we look at the alternatives to coal, they are even higher than that - for example, nuclear, solar, wind. The real costs of all these alternatives are still to be determined, but there is no doubt that clean coal technologies can double the cost of coal in generating energy.
None of the alternatives appears to be commercially viable right now for required generation of energy without considering subsidies and tax incentives . If any country accepts sustainable growth and development as the way forward, it subsumes the climate change issues.
At the same time, no country can ignore the inherent contradiction in the expression ‘sustainable growth’.
Growth essentially involves exploiting natural resources for human benefit and countries have to strike a delicate balance between environmental sustainability and economic growth. It is easier said than done.
As the climate issue impinges on everyone, wisdom demands that nations sink their petty differences in approach and strategy to stem the danger from spreading further and squeezing the survival prospects of one and all.
Principally, the efforts boil down to reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, caused primarily by accelerated economic development through exploitation of fossil fuels rich in carbon dioxide.
Every action does not need to be official or based on protocols. In any case, every country need to adopt new methods and ways of doing things in optimising the use of exhaustible resources, energy and water. Corporations / Institutions must carry out energy analysis and incorporate environmental accounting practices to reduce green house gas emission levels at their facilities. The government, in turn, could enforce a form of taxation based on companies’ contribution to climate change.
Climate change is today's biggest problem, threatening mankind with extinction. The problem, largely of man's own doing, must be treated as an emergency by all.
The president of Indonesia issued a Presidential decree instructing all central and regional authorities to support the moratorium by suspending the granting of permits for the use of “primary natural forests” for two years. This Presidential decree is part of Indonesia’s efforts to comply with the bilateral agreement between Indonesia and Norway on forest conservation.
Various governments worldwide are beginning to put regulations in place and to encourage development of more sustainable sources of power generation in order to protect populations worldwide from the immediate detrimental effects on life and health, and to protect the environment for future generation.
By : Sunil K Kumbhat , Jodhpur( Rajasthan ) India
Views expressed herein are personal views of the author and not that of COALspot.com.
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Saturday, 04 February 12
SUPRAMAX DELIVERY SOUTH CHINA FOR TRIPS VIA INDONESIA WERE REPORTED AROUND $ 6,000 PER DAY - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - The markets continued to soften which dropped by almost 11 pct and BDI closing at 647 points.
The drop in BDI was mainly due to dr ...
Thursday, 02 February 12
NO RELIEF YET FOR DRY BULK SHIP OWNERS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
Although at the start of 2012 nobody can claim that the global seaborne trade has suddenly come to a halt, quite the contrary, it seems that the dry ...
Wednesday, 01 February 12
KRISHNAPATNAM PORT - GOING DEEP TO SOAR HIGH
COALspot.com - Krishnapatnam Port now rightfully claims as the deepest draft port in India, as it has started accepting vessels with maximum permiss ...
Wednesday, 01 February 12
IN JAMBI, MOST MINING COMPANIES LACK 'CLEAR-AND-CLEAN' PERMITS - JP
More than three-quarters of the 386 mining companies in Jambi lack “clear-and-clean” certifications from the government, according to an ...
Wednesday, 01 February 12
2% OF IBPS TOTAL CONCESSION AREA CONTAINS TOTAL COAL RESOURCE OF 56.1 MILLION TON
COALspot.com - PT. Britmindo, a mine consulting firm, has finalized PT. Insani Bara Perkasa (IBP) first JORC (Joint Ore Reserves Committee) res ...
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- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- The University of Queensland
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- PTC India Limited - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Australian Coal Association
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
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