Peat fires return to Indonesia. Last time caused a carbon burst larger than car emissions & staged the record hot year, 1998. Indonesia is world's largest shipper of coal for power. Interview w. Dr. Florian Siegert, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich. India's huge coal scheme buys into Indonesia. Hear Shankar Sharma, electricity expert. 173 new coal plants approved this year. Is it a Ponzi scheme?
Music: "How Darwinian" by Dan Mangan, from new album "Oh Fortune"
Music: "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas, album "The Best of Kansas"
Background music by Vastmandana at soundclick.com
My thanks to Sierra Club India for arranging interview with Shankar Sharma
Audio from two quick clips from NDTV India on coal protests.
All interviews by Alex Smith for Radio Ecoshock.
Also available at 2 29 minute segments to allow station ID and announcements. Posted below.
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While we worry about the economy here, developments on the other side of the world could change the climate for generations.
Nobody is reporting on this. The peat fires in Sumatra are blanketing Singapore and Malaysia. Nobody can put them out. Huge carbon emissions. Last time these fires in 1997 doubled the rate of increase in greenhouse gas emissions globally.
Indonesia also has more tropical forests burning this year than any other country, more than the Amazon. But there is no campaign to save it.
And Indonesia is the world's largest shipper of thermal coal for power plants. it goes all over Asia, but the big Indian conglomerate Tata just bought into Indonesian coal producers.
There has been a mania of coal plant construction in India, with 173 new projects approved this past year alone.
Some projects have stopped in mid-construction for lack of coal. And coal prices went way up.
Banks in India have lent fantastic amounts for this coal/electricity rush, and some could go bankrupt.
Peasants and fisherpeople pushed off their land for some of the world's largest coal-fired plants have protested. Several were shot dead by police. Wetlands are being trashed. Water shortages a huge issue.
It's time to look at what is happening on the far side of the world. We'll feel the weird weather when it comes. All the species will feel the new heat.
Will Indonesia drive us into new record heat years?
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