Yallourn and climate damage
MoreEach year, Yallourn emits up to 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution, making it responsible for 13 percent of Victoria’s emissions.
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Burning coal is the single biggest cause of climate change. We’re campaigning to phase out coal-burning power stations by 2030, replace them with clean energy, and support the community through this transition.
Catastrophic bushfires and floods, blistering heatwaves and more severe drought. Australia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change.
Burning coal is the single biggest cause of this damage to our climate, and it needs to stop.
The good news is that renewable energy is here and ready to replace coal as a source of clean, affordable and reliable energy. By 2021, a third of our power will already come from renewable sources.
To protect our communities and avoid the worst impacts of damage to our climate, we need to close all coal-burning power stations in the next decade and replace them with clean energy sources like solar, wind and batteries.
Because they burn brown coal, Victoria has the dirtiest power stations in Australia. Together they spew out nearly 40 percent of the state’s climate pollution.
The oldest and dirtiest is Yallourn. It produces more carbon pollution for each unit of power than any other coal-burning power station in Australia.
Learn more about Yallourn and cutting climate pollution
Yallourn is also Australia’s worst toxic polluter. Each year it pumps arsenic, lead, sulphur dioxide and over 400 kilograms of mercury into our air and water. This toxic pollution has serious health consequences for people living nearby, including increased risk of heart attack, asthma, stroke and lung cancer.
Learn more about the health impacts
Yallourn’s owner, EnergyAustralia, claims that the coal-burning power station will stay open for another 13 years. That’s way too late for our climate and damaging for our health.
Our governments and EnergyAustralia have a responsibility to stop Yallourn polluting and make a plan to support workers and the community transition to a clean future.
Learn more about a just transition away from coal
Victoria is on track to produce 40% of its energy through renewables by 2025. This clean, reliable energy will make it possible to meet energy demand, without Yallourn coal-burning power station.