Russia's Newest Energy Proposal - Burning Peat, W. Potential Release Of Up To 113 Gigatons Carbon

[hatrack]

Wetlands International, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the world's wetlands, has warned of drastic environmental consequences if the Russia government goes ahead with plans to begin large scale peat mining, including the potential release of 113 gigatons of carbon.

Peat mining for energy "causes much larger carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels, will ruin precious nature and disrupt the hydrology of large areas," writes Tatiana Minaeva from Wetlands International.

Large-scale plans for exploitation of the country's massive peatlands was recently announced by Konstantin Alekseyev, director of the Department of coal mining and peat industry of the Russia’s Ministry, on the ministry's website.

Currently carbon emission from Russia's peatlands are 100 megatons per year (only 0.1 percent of Russia's energy use), however with 1.4 square kilometers (sic) of peatland, containing 47 percent of global peat resources, Russia could potentially release 113 gigatons of carbon from peatland mining if all peatlands were drained. Such emissions would comprise fifteen times the annual global carbon emissions.

EDIT

http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0908-hance_russia_peat.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. Yeah, sure, it will cause a lot of carbon emissions,

but think of all the mummified mammoths that will be dug up!

[pscot]

2. And to think I've been worried

about what we'll do for fuel when the coal runs out.

[Dead_Parrot]

3. Deep joy. nt

[NickB79]

4. The ultimate in biomass energy

:puke:

[XemaSab]

5. Oh hatrack

what would I do without you? :loveya:

[phantom power]

6. I did not just see this.

:banghead:

[GliderGuider]

7. It's so boring to wait for the tundra to just melt by itself...

:popcorn:

[hatrack]

8. I was thinking to myself, "Carbon AND soot! What's not to like!"

Of course, since it's Russia, you just know it'll all be sequestered! Sky's the limit when it comes to environmental efforts over there.

[Nihil]

9. *cough*

:spank: