Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye next week, coal multilateral and neutral representative organisation FutureCoal has challenged climate negotiators to move beyond political declarations and confront the realities of energy security, affordability and industrial development.

FutureCoal CE Michelle Manook warns that COP31 risks repeating the shortcomings of previous negotiations.

“Five years ago, following COP26 in Glasgow, I warned that climate negotiations were becoming an exercise in wordsmithing rather than delivering meaningful outcomes. Every summit since has reinforced that concern.”

Manook says the renewed focus on energy security is welcome, though long overdue.

“Energy security should never have been taken off the table. Coal remains fundamental to electricity generation and industrial development across much of the world. The question should not be how quickly we eliminate it, but how we improve the way it is mined, processed and used.”

FutureCoal is calling for broader access to finance and regulatory approvals for technologies that can deliver measurable emissions reductions, including carbon capture and storage, higher-efficiency generation and methane abatement.

It says the organisation supports renewables alongside coal as part of diversified energy systems, with investment decisions guided by environmental performance rather than fuel type alone.

Major industrial economies are already demonstrating the strategic value of coal technologies beyond electricity generation, FutureCoal points out.

It highlights that China is converting domestic coal into chemicals, fertilisers and synthetic fuels to reduce exposure to volatile international markets; India is advancing coal gasification to strengthen domestic industrial production; and South Africa has used coal-derived fuels and chemicals for decades.

These developments reflect FutureCoal’s Sustainable Coal Stewardship strategy, which promotes greater efficiency, emissions management and higher-value applications across the coal value chain, the organisation says.

Manook asserts that COP31’s guiding principles of “Dialogue, Consensus and Action” should encourage greater collaboration with industry, engineers and technology developers, particularly in supporting developing economies where access to reliable, affordable energy remains essential.

“Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, FutureCoal has consistently advocated for the recognition of all fuels and all technologies. Countries must have the freedom to pursue solutions suited to their national circumstances.

“If COP31 is serious about turning dialogue into action, it must bring industry into the conversation and recognise the technologies already being developed and deployed. A more inclusive approach offers a stronger foundation for meaningful climate action.”