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Coal-fired power generation set to hit ‘all-time high in 2021’: IEA

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Photograph of coal in front of the towers at a coal-fired plant in Mpumalanga (South Africa) on October 15, 2021

Getty Images| Bloomberg | Getty Images

A report by the International Energy Agency states that coal-fired electricity generation is expected to reach an all time high. Its executive director calls for swift action to curb emissions.

Coal 2021 was a report by the IEA that noted that global coal power generation would rise by 9% to 10,350 terawatt hours in 2021.

In an announcement on Friday, the IEA said the rebound was “being driven by this year’s rapid economic recovery, which has pushed up electricity demand much faster than low-carbon supplies can keep up.”

The sharp increase in gas prices has also led to a “increased need for coal power, making it more competitive.”

The global demand for coal, which includes steel production, cement production, as well as power generation is projected to grow by 6% between 2021 and 2021.

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The IEA report stated that worldwide coal consumption “may very well reach a new, all-time high within the next two year.” According to the IEA, coal production is “precast to hit an all-time peak in 2022 before plateauing as demand falls.”

Fatih Birol (IEA executive director) stated that coal is “the single biggest source of global carbon emission”. This statement was issued along with the report. It is a troubling sign of just how far behind the world has been in its attempts to reduce emissions towards zero.

“Without strong and immediate actions by governments to tackle coal emissions — in a way that is fair, affordable and secure for those affected — we will have little chance, if any at all, of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C,” Birol said.

Birol makes reference to global heating in a nod towards the 2015 Paris Agreement. It aims at limiting heat to “well below 2,preferably, 1.5 degrees Celsius” compared to preindustrial levels.

It is an enormous challenge. According to the United Nations, 1.5°C is the upper limit for mitigating the most severe effects of climate change.

Although coal is still an important source for electricity, it has a significant impact on the environment. The U.S. Energy Information Administration list a variety of coal-related emissions. They include sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, particulates, and nitrogen oxides.

Greenpeace elsewhere has called coal “the dirtiest and most polluting means of producing energy”.

The environmental group states that when burned it produces more carbon dioxide (than oil or gas), so this is a major problem in climate change.

The harmful elements mercury and arsenic are also produced by coal, as well as small amounts of soot that contribute to the air pollution.

There is much to be said and done about coal. often an emotive oneBecause of its environmental impact and high quality, it is a good choice. sheer scale of the taskWhen it comes to decreasing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. 

This report by the IEA comes just over a year after the COP26 Climate Change Summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Paris Agreement had been built upon and the worst effects of climate changes prevented by the COP26 deal. However, it was faced with a number of stumbling blocks, including the phasing of fossil fuel subsidies and the financial support for low-income countries.

India and China, both among the world’s biggest burners of coal, insisted on a last-minute change of fossil fuel language in the pact — from a “phase out” of coal to a “phase down.” After initially raising objections, the opposing countries eventually conceded.

The IEA pointed out that global coal trends will be influenced mainly by China and India. Despite their attempts to improve renewables, India and China account for more than two thirds of the world’s coal consumption.

— CNBC’s Matt Clinch contributed to this report

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