Right to life – right to breathe clean air: Burning coal and photosynthesis

This is in response to Dr. Ranil Senanayaka’s above-captioned where he starts his letter, calling me ignorant. Let me tell him that it is not my ignorance but his lack of intelligence to understand what I meant by ‘burning coal’ was merely to show another source of producing Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere, along with diesel, oils, fuel wood and from human beings and animals for the process of photosynthesis by plants, to produce Oxygen. The problem is that there is not enough of forest cover or vegetation to absorb carbon dioxide, emitted by all these sources. This is because, as mentioned in Dr. Senanayake’s previous letter, where he says Oxygen in the atmosphere must be replenished constantly by photosynthesis in green plants. Without plants our atmosphere would contain almost no O2. He also states of the alarming rate of felling of trees of about 15 billion trees per year. Added to the alarming rate of deforestation is the growth in population, which should receive the attention of authorities to educate the masses of family planning and, if necessary, enact laws for families to have one or two children, as done in China, although a valiant effort is made by the World Health Organization [WHO] religious faith, racial dominance in numbers have retarded progress.

As for my interest in coal-fired electricity generation, it is my belief and conviction that coal cannot be completely removed from power generation as renewable sources of energy – wind and solar are not dependable as weather patterns change frequently with cloudy skies and windless days. As done in most countries they have a comparatively low-cost coal power plants as stand-by to meet such situations. This is clearly shown, though countries like China, Korea, India are signatories to Paris Accord, they are constructing huge Coal Power stations to meet the ever-increasing demand. One redeeming news is that China is developing a technology to have ‘Clean Coal’. With its success, Dirty Coal will turn to Clean Coal. Realities must be faced and not be glued to emotions and theories.

I thank Dr. SR for his lengthy letter giving scientific information which could be useful to undergrads in Chemistry.

Lastly, while thanking Dr. Senanayaka for showing his interests IN environment, I do not propose to continue any further.

G. A. D. Sirimal

BORALESGAMUWA