Green dreamers seek to deny power for India’s poor

The greens' objective is to kill a mine, located in a long-mined region, the product of which will supply power to millions of Indian consumers. If the greens were to succeed in stopping Adani a search for coal in less well-managed regions would start.

Stopping Adani would abate no net carbon dioxide emissions. Stopping Adani may, however, raise the price of electricity for poor Indians.

Foreign aid charities that profess to care about world poverty should back this project. Their silence suggests they care more about anti-development ideology than the poor.

Raising capital for Adani is the "patient capital", about which lefties wax lyrical. The technical brilliance required to mine and transport coal safely is the modern economy over which lefties swoon.

Coal is the new economy. The mathematics involved to ship coal from multiple existing mines along a single track to port in the most efficient way is mind-blowing. The fibre optics required for conveyer systems beat National Broadband Network-for-the-masses hands down.

And for "lock the gate" weekend warriors, I suggest you visit CRC Mining headquarters in Brisbane. You will find a tight radius drilling system that enables methane gas extraction from coal seams as well as the capture of fugitive carbon emissions. Originally developed for coalmine gas drainage, TRD is a clean alternative to hydraulic fracking.

"Adani" in Indian means civilised. GetUp!, Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation are the enemies of civilisation.

Employing the best and brightest Australians, Adani and other mining companies use natural resources to provide power to the poor. The rainbow dreamers should get on board. Millions of poor Indians would be ever so grateful.

As for climate change, wherever it may lead, coal-fired electricity generation will be an essential ingredient in any adaptation strategy.