A mine worker looks at stacks of coal in an open-cast steam coal mine located in the Ordos mining district, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, March 14, 2014. China's top producing coal province of Inner Mongolia, where Ordos is located, is in crisis. Tumb
IN PHOTO: A mine worker looks at stacks of coal in an open-cast steam coal mine located in the Ordos mining district, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, March 14, 2014. REUTERS/Fayen Wong REUTERS/Fayen Wong

A new study from Oxford University has openly criticised Australia’s record on climate change as it named the country’s most polluting coal power stations. The recent research warned of the risks coal-fired power plants pose to Australia’s economy and environment.

Ben Caldecott, the author of the study currently in Australia, said the country should be leading by example in emissions reduction. Australia has 22 power stations that run on coal but they are also responsible for about one-fourth of the country’s total carbon emissions, reports ABC.

Caldecott said the International Energy Agency has arrived at a conclusion that the world’s subcritical capacity needs to be shut down by 2020. “Australia has 26 gigawatts of that capacity,” added the author.

According to the research findings, four coal-fired power stations in Australia have more than half of the “subcritical capacity” or the least efficient capacity. They were identified as AGL, Delta, Origin and Stairwell. Caldecott said the world cannot expect China, India and Indonesia to shut down their new coal-fired power stations if more advanced economies will not do it.

He believes Australia and the UK should lead by example and close their power station. If not, Caldecott said the world’s climate future is “screwed,” reports The Guardian. He added that he remains hopeful that the climate and environmental perspective of Australia will change.

Caldecott said he was not an expert on Australian politics but coming from the UK and based on his travels for research, Australia is not seen as one of the leading countries on climate change action. He remarked that the government’s stand on climate change has made the preparation of the report more difficult.

AGL said in a statement that climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are long-term challenges that require lasting solutions. The company acknowledges it is a large emitter of carbon emissions and it has a key role to play in reducing them over time.

The Guardian reports that the Australian government has been urged to impose U.S.-style regulations on coal-fired power plants. Australian Conservation Foundation president Geoff Cousins said the government should shut down the worst polluting plants in the country. However, Australia does not offer any incentive for companies to stay away from fossil fuels.

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