“The overwhelming majority of scientists say there can be no more coal mines if we’re to have any chance of a safe climate. Medical organisations increasingly recognise health risks, with the British Medical Journal describing climate change as “a health emergency'” – Dr Kate Charlesworth, Climate Councilor
Coal is a carbon-rich black rock that forms deep underground over thousands of years of heat and pressure and releases energy when burned. Coal remained a vital energy source for centuries, fueling industrial revolutions and powering economies worldwide. However, in an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront, the use of coal has become a topic of intense debate.
Coal combustion releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change. Coal-fired power plants also emit pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, contributing to air pollution and harming human health and the environment.
On the contrary, coal offers several advantages, such as its abundance, affordability, and reliability as a constant source of electricity. But its drawbacks, including detrimental environmental impacts, public health risks, and contributions to climate change, shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Taming the dark flames of coal
Coal is the black flesh of the earth that makes up the spine of the world’s power grid. Together with oil, it accounts for over 60 per cent of all energy annually, which we use in daily life. In some senses, these two Dark Monarchs can be seen as the black soul of modern society.
The story of the dark twins and their role in the present actually started several centuries ago with the rise of mechanisation and industry. From here, the dark saga of the present society’s dependence on fossil energy and the issue of peak oil and fossil fuel depletion begins.
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to 19th century that saw significant changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining and transportation that profoundly impacted the socio-economic and cultural conditions worldwide.
The dawn of the Industrial Revolution marked a critical turning point in human history that influenced almost every aspect of daily life in some way. The most crucial event is undeniably the appearance of steam engines and the taming of the dark flames of coal.
Since then, our burning of fossil fuels has steadily increased. We now annually burn over 4,000 times the amount of fossil fuels burnt during 1776. Burning fossil fuels has far-reaching effects on our climate and ecosystems.
The concerns over the environmental impacts of coal have been rising over the years. Life holds more significant value than the energy resources to run it. Without life, and life of quality at that, abundance of energy makes no sense. But humankind has ruined the planet only to meet its energy requirements.
Among the chaos and voices rising worldwide, the future of the coal industry has been swinging like a pendulum. As if the technical, economic, and environmental factors are insufficient, now the political factor stands between its growth and decline.
Life holds more significant value than the energy resources to run it. Without life, and life of quality at that, abundance of energy makes no sense.
Coal consumption set to reach a new high
According to a new IEA report, global coal demand had increased only marginally in 2022 but was enough to push it to an all-time high amid the energy crisis. The world’s coal consumption is forecasted to remain unchanged in the following years without more robust measures to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy resources.
The same report reveals that global coal use had risen by 1.2% in 2022, surpassed 8 billion tonnes in one year for the first time and beat the previous record set in 2013. The report forecasts that coal consumption will remain flat at that level by 2025 due to its robust demand in emerging Asian economies.
According to economists and experts, coal will remain in the global energy system as the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, even though a range of conflicting forces has shaken its markets.
Amid the global energy crisis, the higher natural gas prices are leading to increased reliance on coal for generating power, creating detrimental environmental impacts. China is the world’s largest coal consumer, where summer heat waves and drought are common. Still, China’s coal power generation has increased in recent years despite the Coronavirus pandemic that had slowed down demand in 2020.
“The world is close to a peak in fossil fuel use, with coal set to be the first to decline, but we are not there yet,” said Keisuke Sadamori, the IEA’s Director of Energy Markets and Security. “Coal demand is stubborn and will likely reach an all-time-high in coming years, pushing up global emissions.”
“At the same time, the energy crisis is accelerating the focus on renewables, energy efficiency and heat pumps. This will moderate coal demand in the coming years. Government policies will be key to ensuring a secure and sustainable path forward,” Sadamori added.
Pushing the World into darkness!
The saga of the Industrial Revolution and how fast it changed the world is a sunshine story about how human ingenuity and technology overcame previous limitations and allowed society to prosper.
However, that picture is unfair and fails to observe the shivering whispers of the black heart on everything, namely the energy that drove all machines and powered all the factories.
There is no other opinion that few of the machines would have worked without wielding suitable energy sources. Mechanisation during industrialisation significantly changed the way society observed and behaved. Engineers and scientists have invented numerous devices, processes and technologies that influence everyday life and provide abundant goods, merchandise and possibilities. There are many factors, reasons and explanations for all that happened during the Industrial Revolution.
Still, we can not shut the voices raising their concern about over-dependence on carbon as an energy resource, eventually darkening the planet. Despite the knowledge about how it contributes to climate change, coal combustion still accounts for 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions from energy use. To achieve the Paris Agreement Climate Goals, worldwide power sectors should stop using coal without carbon capture and storage by approximately 2050.
According to climate experts, focusing on coal combustion’s environmental and health-related externalities may not be sufficient to phase out coal. Instead, it will be crucial to see the coal phase-out as fair and legal and that the process accords with political realities.
Policymakers should understand in more detail who will be impacted by a transition away from coal. How societal groups can be effectively compensated, and how powerful vested interests can be counterbalanced.
References:
https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:343046/fulltext01.pdf
https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/examining-the-pros-and-cons-of-coal-as-an-energy-source
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0866-1
Also, Read: Bioenergy — A Potential Solution to Energy Shortage Amid Climate Emergency
Saadeqa Khan is the founder, CEO, & Editor-in-Chief of Scientia Pakistan. She’s a member of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network (Second Cohort) and NASW. Saadeqa is a fellow of NPF Washington, The Falling Walls Foundation, and the Science Journalism Forum. Saadeqa has won several international journalism grants and awards for her reports.
