Coal and climate change

Updated: Tue, 20 Nov 2018

Electric cars and vegan diets: Are 'good' climate tipping points at hand?

Not all climate tipping points are bad - and some good ones may be just on the horizon. Scientist Tim Lenton explains the shifts in behavior and technology that could soon spur large-scale climate action

Bangladesh looks to cut future coal use as costs rise
Coal is less economically attractive than when Bangladesh drafted plans to build new coal-fired power plants - but will it switch to gas rather than renewables? By Naimul Karim | Fri, 7 Aug 2020
U.N. chief warns India over 'bad economics' of coal
Continuing coal investment is creating a "human disaster," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tells India's leaders By Annie Banerji | Fri, 28 Aug 2020
Asia's coal addiction puts chokehold on air-polluted cities
In a lawsuit, Jakarta residents will argue policymakers have failed to tackle air pollution, hoping to force the government to move away from coal power and into renewables By Michael Taylor | Wed, 20 Mar 2019
interview Dusty air, milky water: S. African captures coal-mining pollution
Johannesburg photo exhibit aims to reveal environmental price of coal on poor South African communities By Kim Harrisberg | Fri, 25 Oct 2019
Pakistan pushes renewables - but coal expansion continues too
A new policy aims for 30% electricity from renewables by 2030 - but planned coal plant expansion could stand in the way By Rina Saeed Khan | Fri, 7 Aug 2020
Michael Bloomberg to spend $500 million to close coal plants
The "Beyond Carbon" initiative will lobby to close about 250 coal-fired power plants by 2030 and make the country fully reliant on clean energy By Sebastien Malo | Fri, 7 Jun 2019
Indian fishermen welcome U.S. top court power plant verdict
Indian fishermen and farmers filed the lawsuit against a World Bank arm over the funding of a coal power plant they hold responsible for damaging the environment By Rina Chandran | Thu, 28 Feb 2019
Southern Asia urged to wind down coal to limit warming
"Plans for major new coal deployment in these regions alone could put the Paris Agreement objectives out of reach", researchers warn By Michael Taylor | Thu, 20 Jun 2019
Despite climate pledges, G20 coal subsidies rise
While support for coal mining has fallen, other subsidies for coal-fired power have risen substantially, researchers said By Laurie Goering | Tue, 25 Jun 2019
Coal-reliant Philippines struggles to power up clean energy
Renewable energy costs are falling around the globe, but the Philippines, up to now, has shown few signs of moving away from coal By Alanah Torralba | Fri, 18 May 2018
At U.N. climate talks, Trump team plans sideshow on coal
As the gathering looks at how to ramp up ambition on clean energy and put in place rules to cut emissions, Trump's team will promote continuing use of coal By Reuters | Thu, 15 Nov 2018
Poland turns to fossil fuel soulmate Trump as coal output flags
Environmental campaigners say that while renewable sources are becoming cheaper, the cost of using conventional fuels will keep rising By Reuters | Wed, 15 Nov 2017
World carbon emissions on the rise again -study
Carbon emissions had been roughly flat from 2014-16, but will increase this year mainly due to a rise in China By Reuters | Mon, 13 Nov 2017
A year after Trump's election, coal's future remains bleak
U.S. utilities are shutting coal-fired power plants at a rapid pace and shifting to cheap natural gas, along with wind and solar power By Reuters | Mon, 13 Nov 2017
Japan, China, S. Korea bankroll Indonesia coal expansion
Expanding Indonesia's use of coal - a major driver of climate change - would not be possible without the foreign money, an analysis says By Thin Lei Win | Wed, 19 Jul 2017
In coal-focused Pakistan, a wind power breeze is blowing
But Chinese funding is still pushing a huge expansion in coal use, with wind and solar a secondary focus By Rina Saeed Khan | Mon, 17 Jul 2017
Europe's $6.9 bln coal subsidies better spent on energy solutions
"Instead of governments supporting technologies which are part of the future energy system, they're subsidising centuries-old technology" By Alex Whiting | Mon, 8 May 2017
Pakistan ramps up coal power with Chinese-backed plants
"Pakistan must tap these unutilised vast underground reserves of 175 billion tonnes of coal, adequate to meet the country's energy needs for several decades," minister says By Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio | Wed, 3 May 2017
New coal plants falling but not enough to meet Paris target
To keep global warming within relatively safe levels, construction of coal plants must end and existing plants must retire faster - report By Alex Whiting | Thu, 22 Mar 2018
Pakistan races to tap virgin coal fields to meet energy crunch
Pakistan's massive Thar coal reserves have been untapped until now By Rina Saeed Khan | Mon, 27 Feb 2017
More coal plants will deepen - not cut - poverty, researchers warn
More than 2,400 coal power plants are under construction or being planned - two-thirds of those are in China and India, which are struggling with air pollution By Laurie Goering | Mon, 24 Oct 2016
In the Philippines, faith becomes a driving force against coal
"Yes to God, No to Coal! That should be our battle cry," says one priest By Purple Romero | Thu, 19 May 2016
Climate activists in NY, Washington state protest fossil fuels
Break Free 2016 is a 12-day global protest to call attention to climate change and demand transition to clean energy By Reuters | Sat, 14 May 2016
To curb climate change, "we need to move everything" - investors
"We would throw ourselves in front of a bus if it was coming at our child. Climate change is that bus" By Laurie Goering | Thu, 14 Apr 2016