Al Gore to PM: ‘Malcolm, don’t build the mine’ – by Nick Whigham (News.com.au – July 11, 2017)

http://www.news.com.au/

FORMER United States Vice President Al Gore has a message from our Prime Minister: “Malcolm, don’t build the mine.” He is, of course, referring to the government’s plan to allow Indian mining conglomerate Adani to build a mega-mine in North Queensland known as the Carmichael coal mining project.

Mr Gore is in Australia ahead of the release of An Inconvenient Sequel, the follow up to his Oscar-winning 2006 documentary on global warming. The movie follows Mr Gore as he travels the world giving his famous power point presentation and meeting politicians while championing the need for renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels.

When asked by news.com.au if he’d ever tried to persuade the Australian government from pursuing the controversial mining project, he seized the opportunity. “Well if he’s watching, Malcolm don’t build the mine,” he said. “That’s a direct way to do it.”

Critics and environmental groups opposed to the mine have raised concerns that the extra coal exports may damage the Great Barrier Reef as the terminal is located on the coastline of the heritage area. And it’s a danger the former Vice President said amounted to a grim choice.

“I’ll just put it this way, if you had a choice between a huge new coal mine or the Great Barrier Reef, which would you choose? “I’d take the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.

For the rest of this article: http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/al-gore-to-pm-malcolm-dont-build-the-mine/news-story/8b062a67da0ce2dd4f493f3a61e0d23a