The consequences of – effects of mining and power generation from Bobby Peek 21-22 June 2013 Kӧӧӧnigswinter

Brief overview

• Who is groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa • South African context • Carbon Economy • Global Impacts of coal in general • Impacts of coal in South Africa (Highveld)

World's largest grassroots environmental network 76 national member groups 5,000 local activist groups on every continent With over 2 million members and supporters globally South African Context

Unemployment rates July 2012: Official 25% - Expanded 33% Employed: 40% (15 to 65yrs) Income intercepted before people receive it, resulting in increases levels of debt. De Doorns 2012-2013

Marikana August 2013 Coal: Secrecy and Spying

• contracted Swartberg Intelligence Support Services to spy on communities around Medupi and on NGOs Earthlife Africa Jhb, groundWork and Greenpeace Africa. • Brian Dames, CEO of Eskom, has also communicated publicly that the contract with Swartberg Intelligence Support Services has been terminated and that the issue will be investigated by an Eskom-appointed body • The results of the investigation have not been made public as yet. Secrecy Bill: Protection of State Information Bill

Present challengers: - National Key Points Act - Promotion of Access to Inform Information - ArcelorMittal; Master Plan and Permits Carbon Economy • SA Economy – Mineral and Energy Complex: – Wealth and power to direct development is held by a few large corporations – Concentration of economic power = SA one of the most energy and carbon intensive economies in the world ’s Coal-to-Liquid Single largest CO2 emitter in the world Eskom Power Stations in The Highveld Current fleet of coal-fired power stations and CtL plants

Region Developer Plant Status Capacity (MW) Information Middelburg Eskom Arnot Operational 2352 Ermelo Eskom Camden Operational 1510 Witbank Eskom Duvha Operational 3600 Balfour Eskom Grootvlei Operational 1200 200MW capacity in storage Eskom Hendrina Operational 1965 Witbank Eskom Kendal Operational 4116 Middelburg Eskom Komati Operational 940 625MW capacity in storage Bethal Eskom Kriel Operational 3000 Vijoensdrift Eskom Lethabo Operational 3708 Volksrust Eskom Majuba Operational 4110 Lephalale Eskom Matimba Operational 3990 Sanderton Eskom Tutuka Operational 3654 Free State Bloemfontein Municipality Bloemfontein Power Operational 102 Station Gauteng, Johannesburg Aldwych International Kelvin Power Station Under refurbishment 600 Privatised 2000 Gauteng, Pretoria Tshwane, Metro Council Pretoria West Power Operational 180 Operate according to necessity Station Gauteng, Pretoria Tshwane Metro Council Operational 300 Operate according to necessity Secunda Sasol Secunda CTL Operational 160000 barrels per Coal-to-liquid day

Final Energy is around 50% of what is produced

66% of primary energy comes from coal - Converted to electricity by Eskom - Converted to liquid fuels by Sasol - Final energy in industrial processes Facts and figures Special Pricing Agreements (SPA)

• Secretive pricing deal which was carried over from the apartheid state and renewed by a democratic state with major energy users (BHP Billiton the most quoted) • Normal industrial rate (US) 2.3c/kWh cheapest in the world in 2007 – smelters supplied below this price • Because of the BHP SPA - Eskom lost $1.35 billion in 2008/9 • 2010 leaked report it is suggested that BHP pays (US) 1.7c/kWh (half of Eskom’s production cost) Energy for whom?

Most used by richest 40% of households 20% of population ‘energy poor’ and do not have access to electricity

Millions of people regularly cut off – Because of affordability – Pre-paid meters uncounted numbers cut of monthly

4 million homes do not cook with electricity

2 million homes rely on candles for lighting

Residents pay up to 7 times more per unit of electricity than big business therefore cross subsiding industry Global Impacts Transport Mining

Toxic Burning Coal Slurry Combustion Waste Globally in 2010: 210 000 deaths, 2 million serious illnesses, 151 million minor illnesses, not including the effects of climate change Lancet 2007

Three times the estimate of deaths per TWh of coal combustion in Europe

The Cost of the Health Burden From Use of Coal for Energy Production

• External cost of environmental and public health damage caused during each stage of coal’s extraction, transportation, combustion, and disposal • Studies in USA X 2 & EU Coal and community health

• Particle pollution (PM10, PM2.5, PM1) is one of the most dangerous pollutants for human health. • It causes cardiovascular and respiratory disease, asthma, hospital admissions and premature death.

• PM10 & PM2.5 levels in the Vaal and the Highveld exceeded the national annual standard permanently over the last 5 years

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m I Witbank air ‘dirtiest in the world’ April 2013 “…chromium and barium were so high that … instruments had been unable to take accurate measurements.” Die Beeld in the City Press

Aug 2000 Bucket Brigade Sasol agrees! Highveld Training

Highveld – high concentrations of particulate s (PM10) Horizontal lines three standards: -The top line is the interim standard set at 120 ug/m3 by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). -2015, the DEA will apply the more stringent standard of 75 ug/m3 which is shown by the middle line. -The bottom line - World Health Organisation guideline of 50 ug/m3 exceeded at all the monitoring stations throughout the winter. Ambient concentrations of SO2 Blue top line – Witbank Regular pollution spikes in other areas Acid Mine Drainage Acidic, iron rich water filling a collapsed mine

Barren, sulphate-encrusted soil caused by seepage of acidic waster from a flooded coal mine SA 'a hotspot for bad air quality' October 13, 2009 By Kanina Foss, Independent On Line

South African healthcare costs arising from air pollution amount to R4- billion a year. … launch of the first SA State of the Air report!

Lukey said the poor - the people least able to shield themselves from bad air quality – were most affected. "They carry a double burden - they're poor and they're sick" Sebokeng 2010-2012