Coal

Coal mining is bringing devastation to landscapes and livelihoods in Kalimantan, where a coal-rush is in full swing. Indonesia is now the world's largest exporter of thermal coal - supplying power stations and generating electricity in India, China, Europe and many other countries around the world.

DTE is campaigning against UK involvement in Indonesia's coal rush. We need to reduce demand for coal in order to protect livelihoods in Kalimantan as well as reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions.

Bumi Resources' giant Kaltim Prima coal mine in East Kalimantan. (Photo:JATAM)

DTE newsletter 85-86 August 2010 - full edition for download

Special issue with contributions from JATAM, London Mining Network and Nostromo Research

Indonesia's Coal: local impacts - global links

Download the complete pdf newsletter or click on separate articles...

Deadly Coal - coal exploitation and Kalimantan's blighted generation

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

JATAM's new Deadly Coal report highlights the devastating impacts of coal mining in Kalimantan, where today's coal rush is undermining sustainable livelihoods and health and exacerbating poverty in order to supply export markets. The following is extracted from the full report.

UK - Indonesia coal connections

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

What is the coal relationship between Indonesia and the UK? How are ordinary people connected - from consumers and shareholders in the UK to communities suffering the impacts of coal-mining in Indonesia? This article is the result of some initial investigations into those links.

By Carolyn Marr, DTE

Food, coal and Makroman Village

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

Voices from an East Kalimantan village tell what it's like to live in a major coal-mining area. By Siti Maimunah (Working Team on Women and Mining, JATAM) and Merah Johansyah (JATAM East Kalimantan).

Makroman, a village in Samarinda municipality - the capital of East Kalimantan province - is encircled by mines. For the past five years coal mining operations have been excavating the land around Makroman.

Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

The case of Rio Tinto, BP, the Bakrie Brothers and Kaltim Prima Coal.

By Andrew Hickman, DTE

It is a sad fact that more than 10 years after the fall of Suharto and the establishment of democratic rule in Indonesia corruption, collusions and nepotism, known in Indonesian as KKN - remain key problems and challenges faced by Indonesia today.

Coal and climate change

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

By Geoff Nettleton, Kailash Kutwaroo, edited by Richard Solly with input from Roger Moody and Mark Muller.

The rise in average atmospheric temperature and increased frequency of extreme weather events are widely understood to be a major threat to the future of all current human societies and ecological zones.¹

Direct action against coal in Scotland

Down to Earth No.85-86, August 2010

DTE asked climate justice activist Mark Lloyd about coal and coal activism in Scotland...and his thoughts on reading JATAM's Deadly Coal report.