Letters | If the world is going to keep using coal, let’s make it sustainable
Readers discuss the need to include coal in policy discussions, and the hype around the ‘silver economy’
The global coal debate is passionate but often short on realism. For years, coal has been sidelined in policy discussions, as though ignoring it could erase its role in powering lives and livelihoods.
In 2024, the world consumed more coal than ever before. Banks invested over US$130 billion in coal projects across Asia, the United States and Europe. Demand has doubled since 2000 and quadrupled since the 1950s. The International Energy Agency no longer speaks of “peak coal” but of a plateau over the next couple of years. These facts may be inconvenient but they remain a reality for many.
In Africa, energy investments are one-third lower this year than they were in 2015. For millions, the issue is not choosing between energy sources but securing affordable, reliable power. Denying finance and insurance for coal projects deepens the problem of inequality rather than solves it.
Coal remains the backbone of modern economies, powering steel, cement, manufacturing and millions of jobs. Even renewables depend on it, since wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles require coal-based steel and/or cement. In many regions, coal also ensures affordable electricity and industrial competitiveness, and is the only reliable source of baseload power.
The way forward is not to abandon coal, but to transform it. FutureCoal’s Sustainable Coal Stewardship (SCS) framework outlines proven technologies that can reduce emissions by up to 99 per cent while creating new markets for high-value products such as critical minerals, graphene and carbon fibre. This approach drives modernisation and responsible investment, delivering greater economic and environmental returns from every tonne of coal.