Greenpeace representatives carry out a protest at Shenhua Energy Group interim results press conference.
Earlier, Li Yan, Climate and Energy Campaign Manager for Greenpeace, presented an open letter to Zhang Xiwu, China Shenhua Energy Chairman and Executive Director, calling on him to disclose the full extent of environmental destruction wrought by the company's 'Coal-to-Liquid' (CTL) plants. A report issued by Greenpeace entitled 'Thirsty Coal: an Investigation into the Over-extraction of Groundwater and Illegal Discharge of Wastewater by Shenhua Group's Ordos Coal-to-Liquid Demonstration Project', was also presented to Mr Zhang. The CTL process is a controversial method of converting coal to various forms of oils and plastics, and is highly water intensive. Environmentalists have accused China Shenhua Energy, and others, of depleting the water table, poisoning wells and hastening desertification in and around Ordos. Thousands of traditional farmers in and around the Inner Mongolian village of Haolebaoji, where the CTL plant is exactly located, have lost their livelihoods, as their crops have dried up and their livestock have died - all due to lack of water. Greenpeace is calling for an immediate suspension of the project.