Climate activists urge Japan to stop financing coal plant in Matarbari

Climate activists urge Japan nation to stop financing coal plant located in Matarbari. The climate strike also called on Japan to compensate the local people of Matarbari for environmental pollution, provide proper rehabilitation, cancel the Matarbari coal power plant project, and set up a solar or wind power plant.

Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED) and YouthNet for Climate Justice have demanded to stop all Japanese investment in the fossil energy sector, including the Matarbari coal-fired power plant in Bangladesh. This demand was made from a joint human chain in the capital on Friday morning ahead of the G7 conference.

Ruhul Amin Rabbi, Dhaka District Coordinator of YouthNet for Climate Justice said, “the seven richest countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, United States, and Japan have decided not to invest in the coal power sector but in defiance of this joint decision, Japan is investing in the sector in Bangladesh.”

Ruhul Amin Rabbi also added that “the Matarbari coal-fired power plant would destroy our environment, emit greenhouse gases into the air, destroy crops, harm human health and leave Bangladesh trapped in a long-term debt trap.” He also demanded immediate suspension of construction of Matarbari 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant and building of low-polluting fuel power plants in the form of liquid hydrogen on the infrastructure.

The human chain also called on Japan to compensate the local people of Matarbari for environmental pollution, provide proper rehabilitation, cancel the Matarbari coal power plant project, and set up a solar or wind power plant.

 

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