An organisation claiming to research low emission coal technologies is creating a multi-million dollar media campaign designed to improve the image of coal in Australia.
COAL21 is sponsored by 26 companies, including mining giants BHP, and claims to be conducting studies to provide an evidence-based case for coal to remain a key part of Australia's future while developing low emissions capabilities.
Its website claims it aims to limit climate change by encouraging Australian coal producers to invest in their research of low-emissions coal technologies, particularly carbon capture storage.
The ABC revealed the organisation is planning to spend $4 million to $5 million on pro-coal advertising across television, digital, print, radio and social media next month.
The new campaign will be targeted at men aged 18 to 39 and women aged over 40. In a "request for proposal" document sent to creative agencies, COAL21 described their target audience as "soft converters," or people who have limited information about the Australian coal industry and open to being convinced of its future role. The document does not mention carbon capture storage or other low emission technologies.
COAL21 has been operating for 15 years and has denied any close links with coal lobby group the Minerals Council of Australia, despite its CEO Mark McCallum being employed as the general manager of climate and energy at the Minerals Council Australia.
Detractors of COAL21 have criticised the links between a group designed to research low emissions coal production and a country's leading coal lobby group.
Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility executive director Brynn O'Brien said that the advertising proposal was not consistent with the Paris Agreement and a clean energy transition.
"COAL21 was set up as a research organisation but they have morphed into a public communications and lobbying organisation," she told The Feed.
"There is no such thing as clean coal, it is a marketing ploy."
The CEO of COAL21 is on leave and unable to comment.
