Bilina, Czechia – Greenpeace activists from across Europe occupied equipment at a Czech coal mine today to peacefully protest against plans to extend the life of the mine until at least 2035.
Early this morning, seven activists from Czechia, Poland and Germany scaled the almost 60-metre high excavator – the biggest in Czechia – at the mine in Bílina, with banners reading 'End Fossil Crimes' in English and 'End Mining 2030' in Czech ('Konec těžby 2030'). Activists intend to occupy the excavator for at least 24 hours, ahead of ČEZ's AGM on Monday 26 June.
Tadeáš Simon, Greenpeace Czechia activist who is taking part in the occupation, said: "We are here calling on ČEZ to abandon its intention to prolong coal mining at Bílina, and demanding that the Czech government reverses this decision. Czechia deserves a just and sustainable energy transition to preserve our futures for generations to come."
The action was organised by Greenpeace Czechia after fossil fuel corporation ČEZ applied to extend the life of the coal mine until at least 2035 – creating a minimum of five extra years of climate-destroying emissions. Despite the undeniable climate science proving fossil fuel extraction should end, the Czech government's District Mining Office approved the Bílina mine extension permit in March this year. But Greenpeace Czechia appealed against it, meaning the approval is currently not legally binding.
Lisa Göldner, Lead Campaigner for Greenpeace's Fossil Free Revolution campaign, said: "Greenpeace wants to put a bright spotlight on the imminent climate destruction at Bílina. ČEZ's intention to prolong the life of this mine will create climate shockwaves across Europe and the wider world if it is not stopped. In this unprecedented climate crisis, it is nothing but a fossil crime to prolong the life of a dirty, polluting coal mine."
Bílina produces lignite coal, one of the most carbon-intensive of all fossil fuels and a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions. The mine supplies the nearby Ledvice Power Station, as well as several local heating plants.
If ČEZ's application is approved, it will mean an extra 50 million tonnes of coal will be extracted from Bílina, which, according to the Czech Ministry of the Environment's assessment, will cause the release of an estimated 11.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year on average.[1][2] That means, in just five years, Bílina will produce roughly half of the yearly CO2 emission that Czechia produced in 2020 alone.[3][4]
Worryingly, the extension permit has no binding time limit, meaning coal mining could actually continue at this location for many years beyond 2035. What's more, the Czech government pledged to phase out coal by 2033 at the latest, so the extension conflicts with this promise.[5]
The Czech government has the power to stop the mine from being enlarged by cancelling the mine's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) permit, or by issuing an official statement against the prolongation of the mining which would be legally binding for mining authority.
To stand a chance of limiting global heating to 1.5°C and stop the climate crisis from escalating further, Greenpeace is calling on the Czech environment minister Petr Hladík to scrap the positive Environmental Impact Assessment granted for mining extension, so coal comes to a complete stop in Bílina by 2030 at the latest.
