An organisation set up to research low-emission coal technologies is funding a multi-million dollar media campaign aimed at making Australians feel “proud about coal,'' according to the ABC.
COAL21 is planning to spend up to $5 million on rolling out the campaign across all media platforms next month in an effort to enhance the reputation of Australia’s coal industry and rebut what it calls “false campaigns by activist groups.”
Dan Gocher, director of climate and environment at the Australiasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, has called on mining company BHP to withdraw its funding for the COAL21 group, saying BHP cannot position itself as a climate champion while funding “coal propaganda campaigns.”