A binary, this-or-that debate on technology for a just energy transition is unhelpful and does not consider the unique circumstances for each country in the pursuit of carbonisation, the World Coal Association (WCA) argues.

The association’s stance is that it will respect coal users and non-coal users alike, since energy affordability, reliability and development are the key considerations to ponder, and these will differ for each country in the world, WCA CEO Michelle Manook tells Mining Weekly.

Responding to the criticism that coal often gets, particularly during climate change summits such as the recent COP26, she says the WCA and its members are not in denial about climate change, but are realists and prefer to have pragmatic discussions about decarbonising coal, instead of advocating for options that disregard socioeconomic imperatives.

More than 40 countries committed to shift away from coal in pledges made during the COP26 summit, which signals quite a drastic sentiment, but Manook says it remains to be seen whether the pledges will all be ratified.

“The global norms around language for a ‘just transition’ have been set, but developing countries are not necessarily within the global norm. We should challenge the definition of just transition as it is currently being presented.

“Each industry, or even company, has its own interpretation of what a just transition to decarbonisation is. I do not believe it can be defined by replacing everything with one or two types of technology, but looking at clean technologies overall.”

She believes the just transition conversation should be led by emerging economies, since they grapple the most with the balancing act demanded.

Manook says biased information is another crisis that the world is experiencing, as it leads to misinformed decisions.

She strives for more balanced commentary in the public and private domain, and finds solace in stakeholders increasingly questioning the large-scale efficacy of many renewable energy options, because it opens the possibility for a fair debate and fair consideration.

“We have seen energy price crunches, supply issues, underperformance of renewables in China and Europe,” which shows the need for balanced considerations.

Manook is a firm believer that no one technology is a silver bullet for a just energy transition, particularly not in countries with sensitive socioeconomic contexts.  

For the sake of more practical and realistic solutions, the WCA believes that more conversations on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), and carbon capture and sequestration, need to be held, since many decarbonisation roadmaps will have to be based on these options if they are to transition to cleaner, more reliable and more affordable energy at all.

“Some countries will prefer clean coal, others will prefer to cut out coal entirely; the original Paris Agreement intentions were inclusive and not divisive,” Manook points out.

Besides, she notes, millions of dollars’ worth of coal abatement technology does not seem that ludicrous when weighed against continued social inequality and losses that economies experience as a result of unreliable or unaffordable power.

The future of coal lies in partnerships to change its narrative, she states.

For example, the WCA and intergovernmental organisation the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Centre for Energy released a joint research report on clean coal technology in September.

The report finds that the ten-member Asean will require about 234 GW of new coal-fired generation capacity by 2040 if it is to meet growing energy demand, and with modest investment in clean coal technologies, such as high efficiency low emissions coal, CCUS and pollution control technology, there is capacity to significantly cut emissions.

The WCA also signed a formative memorandum of understanding with the Russian Financial University’s Centre of Sectoral Research and Consulting, aimed at furthering clean coal studies in Russia.

Manook says the association remains committed to rebranding a responsible coal industry and that it leads conversations about the industry based on facts and not emotion, while being open to collaboration for a sustainable environmental, social and economic future.

MUTUAL RESPECT

In response to the COP26 closing agreement – the Glasgow Climate Pact – which effectively updates the 2015 Paris Agreement, the WCA comments that it speaks to a growing appreciation and understanding about coal as part of the climate change solution, as the original articles of the Paris Agreement intended. 

“As an organisation of responsible and innovative coal participants which made a commitment to support the Paris Agreement years ago, we are pleased that world leaders have started to question the worth of coal against the dearth of not having it.

“Coal is a sustainable development issue, crucial to economic, social and environmental progress. Billions of people depend on it and billions will continue to do so.”

Through COP26, like-minded developing countries have demonstrated a like-minded commitment to reach a decarbonised future in a realistic transition which does not undermine their sovereign right to modernise and progress accordingly, Manook states.

“There is now a definite signal that countries must listen and respect each other, accepting all fuels and all technologies, and an understanding that different countries will have different ways of reaching the same, shared goal. That is what a just transition really means.”