academics: Environmental Management System in Coal Mining

Environmental System Management in Coal export

There is a wide range of energy sources in the world that pose environmental risks to the people and the earth. Of late, there has been an observable climate change that is attributed to both natural and human activities. Among the human activities is the use of energy sources that produce a lot of greenhouse gases like the carbon dioxide, methane and Nitrogen (IV) oxide among others. These energy sources include burning firewood, use of coal and burning petrol and diesel in vehicles among others. Coal mining is associated with production of various green house gases including carbon dioxide and methane; therefore it contributes a lot to the environmental pollution and global warming whose effects are adverse. Tiwary, R. K. (2001)

There have been national and international concerns relating to the emissions from coal during its transportation in trains and in rivers. According to Environmental Protection Agency Report 2012, there is a great desire to review the consequences of the coal exportation through the ports as this could have adverse human health and environmental effects. Therefore measures have to be put in place to deal with the emissions. Various stakeholders in the coal sector have on many occasions opposed to coal export arguing that the nations receiving the coal may not be having working sustainable development policies thus by burning the coal, they are increasing the risk of global warming and climate change. Gabbard, Alex (2008

Therefore nations have come with the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that seek to address the effects of coal and other oil fuel transportation through the water and the reduction of their impacts. Spillage from coal and oil fuel transportation in water has adverse effects. The mercury emission from coal causes death to the fish, acidification of water thus affecting the aquatic organisms. Consumption of the fish by human population may cause cancer. The agreed nations encourage the transformation of the coal industry as a pollutant to an air cleaner industry.

According to Dean Brickey (2011), in the face of pollution caused by coal, there is need to formulate a strategy and a framework under which the operations of the coal industry will minimize the contributions and effects of coal to the climate change . This control strategy is called Environmental Management System (EMS) The EMS strategies evaluate the general environmental impacts of coal and sets up programs to reduce the impact while monitoring the progress of the industry. The main goal of the mining industry is to be part of the efforts to reduce pollution and promote clean air. Hamilton, Michael S. (2005). The mining sectors in conjunction with the environmentalists act to reduce the emissions along the shipment trails. This can be done by the planting of trees that act as carbon sinks to absorb the gas and store it in the plants. They encourage the industry to move from the high sulphur mining to the low sulphur mining. Such evaluations and recommendations assist in reducing global warming.

Recommendations

According to Florida, R., & Davison, D. (2001) nations have to establish policies to improve clean and sustain the biodiversity of the ecosystem. The various nations receiving the coal need to play a big part in the reduction of the effects of coal emissions to the atmosphere. They need to adopt a sustainable development strategy that embraces the use of alternative energy to reduce polluting the atmosphere.

The national policy on alternative energy sources should be reviewed to establish the overall goal and position of the country in the reduction of climate change.

The coal industry should show its commitment in the Clean Air Strategy through making coal mining and export part of the sustainable development agenda.

The water usage in coal mining and transportation should not affect the sustainability activities of the people and the biodiversity in ecosystem

References

Dean Brickey, "Utah company sending coal shipments to Asia through Port of Morrow" East Oregonian, May 13, 2011.

Florida, R., & Davison, D. (2001). Gaining from green management: Environmental management systems inside and outside the factory. California Management Review, 43 (3), 64 85.

Gabbard, Alex (2008-02-05). "Coal Combustion: Nuclear Resource or Danger". Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Retrieved 2008-10-22.

Hamilton, Michael S. (2005). Mining environmental policy: comparing Indonesia and the USA. Ashgate studies in environmental policy and practice. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing. p.?. ISBN 978-0-7546-4493-4.