Climate Justice in Jamaica and Germany

We are pleased to report progress in the fight for a healthy climate!
 
In Jamaica, a proposed 1000MW coal-fired power plant was canceled. It would have been the first coal-fired power plant in Jamaica and would have locked Jamaica into decades of burning coal, polluting the air and water, and damaging the climate.
 
In Germany, a court of appeals declared that German energy giant RWE could be held liable to pay its share of the cost of protecting a farmer’s home from the potential flooding of a glacial lake in Peru. The Civil High Court in Hamm will issue a formal decision soon on how the case will proceed, making it clear that a large greenhouse gas emitter in Germany can be held liable for climate impacts caused in another country.   
 
The Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide is working closely with partners in the Caribbean and Europe to protect the climate for future generations.
 
We helped partners at the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) speak out against the proposed coal plant due to its effects on human health and the environment. Jamaica’s Transport and Mining Minister announced earlier this month that the proposed Jiquan Iron & Steel Company Ltd. aluminum refinery in Nail, St. Elizabeth, will run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) instead of coal.

JET’s #SayNOtoCoalJA campaign educated Jamaicans about the impacts of coal, and more than 20,000 people signed a JET-led petition calling on the government of Jamaica to deny the proposal for the coal plant and continue the transition towards renewables, including LNG as a transitional fuel.

ELAW’s science team worked with JET and provided information about the impacts of burning coal on local ecosystems and the climate.  We also worked with JET on a public fact sheet, which JET used to educate citizens about the deadly impacts of coal.
 
Congratulations to Jamaica and Germany for taking steps toward a greener future.
 
For more information see:
 
Peruvian farmer scores small win in court over German energy giant
 
SayNOtoCoalJA campaign
 
For more information on ELAW’s work to protect the climate, contact:
 
Maggie Keenan
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
Communications Director
 

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