In their newsletter of March 2008, Greenpeace encouraged their members to send DONG Energy an e-mail regarding DONG Energy, coal and climate.
DONG Energy has received more than 1,000 e-mails. We would have liked to have replied to all the senders directly. Unfortunately, this has not been possible as all the mails have been sent via Greenpeace using the same e-mail address
Our approach is that climate change is one of the world’s biggest challenges. It is therefore good that so many people care. We do to in DONG Energy.
As a response to the many mails we have received from people through Greenpeace, the management of DONG Energy has contacted Greenpeace in order to arrange a meeting where we can discuss the different concerns that are mentioned in the e-mails to DONG Energy.
We would like to have a broad dialogue with everyone who has interest in DONG Energy and the climate. For that reason, we have suggested to Greenpeace that we arrange a joint, public dialogue and debate event. A dialogue meeting will give us the possibility of freely discussing and challenging each others arguments. Therefore we will in any event invite to a day of discussion some time during the spring.
If you want to learn more about DONG Energy’s values and social responsibility, you are welcome to read a.o. our second corporate responsibility report.
Corporate Responsibility Report 2007 expresses our values, presents a series of new goals and efforts within climate and environment as well as our customers, employees and business ethic.
The online report may be found at http://responsibilityreport2007.dongenergy.com/
The e-mail from the members of Greenpeace reads follows:
"Dear DONG
Coal is the dirtiest, most dangerous and climate damaging fossil fuel. Therefore, more coal is not part of the solution to the climate challenge – but on the other hand a big part of the problem. We need to get out of the coal-age – not extend it, and the coal based energy production must be stopped – not expanded.
Still you have:
- Convinced the government to cancel the stoppage of the expansion of new power plants which the SR-government implemented 11 years ago.
- Planned to use coal at the coal free power plant units Avedøreværk 2 in Copenhagen and Skærbækværk 3 in Fredericia.
- Plans to build new coal power plants in Lubmin and Emden, Germany.
I believe this to be entirely unacceptable. The climate does not need more coal – but less coal. To change two Danish coal free power plant units into being able to use coal is the worst imaginable signal an energy company, which promote itself as green, can give. And it is directly damaging to Denmark as host for the climate summit in 2009.
With this letter I appeal that you come to your senses
Give op the plans of using coal at Avedøre 2 and Skærbæk 3 and give up the plans of building new power plants in Germany.
Yours sincerely
…."