‘Quitting coal is like quitting cigarettes’

BEIJING - How humanity confronts climate change may come down to the intentions behind two words.The UN COP26 climate conference adopted a final deal that at the last minute dropped wording calling for the "phase out" of coal-fired power, replacing it with "phase down".Producers of coal - the most polluting fossil fuel - and countries that consume oil, gas and coal said the change of wording showed they had successfully defended the use of natural resources for which demand is still high and supply is tight."If we are to successfully transition to the energy system of tomorrow, we cannot simply unplug from the energy system of today," Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi state oil company Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC), said."We cannot just flip a switch."The oil and gas industry will need to invest over US$600 billion a year until 2030 to meet expected demand, he said.The wording change, and a clause calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies qualified as "inefficient", upset progressive nations and climate activists.The success of India, backed by China and other coal-dependent developing nations, in clinching the less decisive language on coal brought British COP26 president Alok Sharma to the brink of tears.ENERGY MARKETSDeveloping countries, finally enjoying boom growth, are suspicious of efforts by prosperous Western countries - where fossil fuel production has already peaked - to curb coal output."No COP will impose real restrictions on fossil fuels, the fossil countries always block such ideas," said Tomas Kåberger, professor at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.Energy markets, roiled by shortages and see-sawing demand and supply trends during the Covid-19 pandemic, may make a transition even harder.Natural gas, coal and oil all suffered investment shortfalls during Covid-19 lockdowns but a rebound in demand suggests bad habits are hard to kick.China, the world's top coal producer and consumer, on Monday posted its highest monthly output of the fossil fuel for October since March 2015 as mines raised production to boost supply for winter heating and to tackle a power crunch.Coal stocks in China fell after the climate deal but a tight supply environment provided a floor for prices."Quitting coal is like quitting cigarettes," said Li Shuo, a Beijing-based senior climate adviser with Greenpeace, commenting on the outlook for coal after COP26."It won't be pain-free, but it has be done, not only for others but for oneself." – Nampa/Reuters

‘Quitting coal is like quitting cigarettes’

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‘Quitting coal is like quitting cigarettes’

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