FORREST COOKSON
The widespread attack by foreign NGOs against use of coal and the Phulbari Coal Project in particular is highly irresponsible. The basis of the attacks are five assertions repeated over and over:1. Open cast coal mines are bad.2. Coal mines cause a lot of dislocation of people.3. Mines will destroy valuable farm land that should be kept in agriculture.4. Private foreign investors exploit Bangladesh so should not be allowed.5. ADB should not participate in coal projects.These websites call for people to tell the ADB not to support the Project. Note that the Bangladesh government has not yet made a decision on the use of coal but these NGOs are trying to pressure ADB to reject participation, before the government’s views are known! This attack partially worked as ADB has now put aside its monitoring of the Phulbari Coal Project until the government decides what it wants! The ADB has not dropped its potential participation but is, properly waiting the government’s decision. In the meantime the NGOs are trying to build up international groups to oppose support by ADB for coal development in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government should certainly listen to interested parties, but as a sovereign nation the leaders must decide what is best for Bangladesh. Neither the donors nor the NGOs have a right to try to force the government to act as they wish.The difficulty with these attacks by the NGOs is that they completely ignore the most important question: “How will Bangladesh fuel its electricity needs?” The answers to this question floating around are:1. Use natural gas instead of coal – but, of course, there is an acute shortage of gas that will take at least ten years to solve. The pressures by NGOs to stop mining of coal have already caused a two year delay in achieving any significant step towards developing Bangladesh’s coal sector. While there is potential for more gas in Bangladesh it has not yet been discovered. Until a hole is drilled and commercial gas quantity proven, it is prudent to diversify the sources of fuel for power plants. Furthermore, the best way to run the power system is to put the base load on to coal fired plants and handle the peaking demands using gas.2. Let Bangladeshis develop the coal resources without foreign participation: In Bangladesh there is very limited availability of experienced technical staff in designing and operating large coal mines (open cast or underground). The capital requirements for such mines are immense. Proponents of this idea know very well this is not feasible but it appeals to Bangalee nationalism. Of course in time Bangladeshi citizens will play a greater and greater role in the provision of skilled staff and capital for developing the coal sector but it will take a long time. The belief that there is staff and capital sitting around ready to implement coal projects is simply wrong. This path will slowdown the development of coal fired plants by at least a decade. If enforced for both coal and gas it is two decades!3. Develop nuclear power: This can only be achieved with use of foreign capital and technicians. Furthermore to build up to 8000 MWs will take 10 nuclear power plants. This cannot be done in 15 years. Using nuclear power will result in very intrusive safeguards and provide years of argument over the environmental impact. It is important to go forward with nuclear power but it cannot solve the problems of the next 10 to 15 years.4. Renewable energy: It is a particularly silly idea to think all of Bangladesh’s additional energy requirements can be met by renewable sources. Renewable energy is very expensive and its use in Bangladesh in solar form is heavily subsidised. Wind power potential is limited and wind power remains much more expensive than hydrocarbon based electricity. Just as for nuclear power renewable energy use should be encouraged but only hydrocarbon based power will provide needed electricity for the next 10 to 15 years. All these approaches proposed by foreign NGOs are simply wrong for Bangladesh! It is outrageous that these organisations should be undermining Bangladesh’s development efforts. Their position is “It is better to be poor than to develop the coal resources.”The position is so simple: Economic growth needs cheap electrical energy available only from use of coal and gas. Renewable energy is too expensive for mass use. The opposition by JACSES (Japan) or AID Watch (Australia) to development of energy in Bangladesh is a deeply immoral act. People sitting in developed countries using electricity at a high rate generated by coal, gas and nuclear plants are preaching to Bangladesh not to produce electricity with the coal and gas Bangladesh has! Let these people come and live in Bangladesh for five years without electricity at the income level of the median rural household. Perhaps they would then understand the urgency of expanding the power sector and accelerating economic growth. Expanding electricity availability for rural households is one of the most important tasks to be achieved; it is unfortunate that these foreign NGOs, judged by their actions, are working to keep this from happening.No doubt greater use of gas and coal will have some negative input on the environment. Should Bangladesh sacrifice its economic growth to reduce this adverse impact? Bangladesh does far less damage to the environment than either Australia or Japan. Let these NGOs clean up their own houses.Turning now to the objections.Open cast coal mines are bad: There is no alternative to the open cast mine. The technical problems [water regime, acceptable environment recovery] are manageable according to the world class mine design engineers engaged by Asia Energy. The government must insure that the vendor takes care of the environment. Rather than attacking open cast mines one should ask “How can we achieve this while protecting the affected population and the environment?” Open cast mines are necessary to build up Bangladesh power sector; otherwise not enough coal is available from underground mines. The target is 12 million mt per annum for power; this can never be achieved with underground mines. In any event expert opinion is that the coal deposits are only marginally suitable for underground mining.Coal mines cause a lot of dislocated of people: The critics miss the point, Asia Energy has to agree to resettle all affected persons in such a way that people are better off financially than before the resettlement. It does not matter who is right about the number. The government must make agreements with the coal companies to insure this happens. Difficulties are not a reason not to do the project, but rather a reason to be particularly careful and to work to overcome difficulties. The government must insure that resettlement is done according to its rules protecting the financial position of these affected. The NGOs efforts to drive out ADB will adversely effect the poor in the project area. The hypocrisy is breath taking. The coal projects will use up valuable farm land that should be kept in agriculture: This is true but the project will make an enormous contribution to the economy. Land is lost to agriculture continuously and if Bangladesh is ever to become a middle income country it has to maximise return to the land through industrial development. The future of Bangladesh does not rest with rice farming but through industrial development.Private foreign investors exploit Bangladesh, so should not be allowed: Many believe this and hence argue such investment should be banned. But others say: Environmental NGOs are bad and should be banned. This is the level of this argument! Noise not fact. Self righteous behaviour is best replaced with some humility and doubt. Of course foreign investors are trying to make money! The question is the word “exploit.” The earnings are large became the investments are large. Private foreign investment in the Bangladesh energy sector has been beneficial for both the nation and the investor. It has provided gas at less than $1 per thousand cubic feet and electricity at less than 3 ¢ US per kwh. For all the accusations and claims the Bangladesh government through good management and encouraging competition did very well using foreign investors in gas and electricity.ADB should not participate in coal projects: I do not know if the government will approve the Phulbari Coal Project. But if the government does Asia Energy faces no difficulty in financing the project from private sources or sovereign wealth funds. The government should welcome ADB participation to strengthen achievement of high standards for resettlement and environmental management.Anyone genuinely interested in the Bangladesh peoples’ welfare wants the power and influence of the ADB on the side of the people. Indeed the implementation of large coal projects in Dinajpur will accelerate the growth of this part of Bangladesh raising incomes, providing employment and attracting people from surrounding areas. Asia Energy does not need ADB for financing the Project; it is the Bangladesh government that can use ADB to strengthen its hand! Open debate about the pros and cons of energy projects and strategy is of great benefit to Bangladesh. But for NGOs to interfere in the relationship of ADB and the government seems questionable behaviour. This argument needs to be based on truth and analysis not misrepresentations and unsubstantiated claims.
The Independent
15.06.08
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