The Role of Coal in an Environmentally Challenged World, ICSC/341

Coal has been a cornerstone of industrial development for over 200 years, although today it is seen as a fuel of the past and is being phased down in the Global North as part of efforts to limit climate change. Yet, despite more than 30 years of international climate action, 2024 saw global coal production rise to unprecedented levels. There is a need to align ambitious climate action with the reality of ongoing global energy use. In this essay, Dr Andrew Minchener OBE reflects on 30 years at the leading edge of climate change mitigation action in the fossil fuel sector and lays down some frank views on how the next 30 years might evolve.