14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, UN official Christiana Figueres sparked quite a controversy when she argued that, all things considered, it was still possible for the coal industry to become part of the global warming solution and cease being the pain in our planet's bottom that many people consider it to be.
What's interesting is that Christiana Figueres said these things shortly after the Global Carbon Project released a new report saying that the world's dependence on fossil fuels has increased to such an extent that this year's carbon emissions are bound to hit a record 36 billion tonnes.
One would think that, in light of this report, any person in their right mind would demand that fossil fuels be phased out immediately, and that renewables take their place. However, this is not how Christiana Figueres sees things.
Speaking at a meeting in Poland, she argued that the coal industry need not disappear altogether in order for global warming to be successfully limited to just 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). On the contrary, all this industry must do is undergo a major green makeover, the UN climate chief argued.
“Let me be clear from the outset that my joining you today is neither a tacit approval of coal use, nor is it a call for the immediate disappearance of coal. But I am here to say that coal must change rapidly and dramatically for everyone’s sake,” Christiana Figueres told the coal companies CEOs present at the International Coal and Climate Summit.
What she meant was that this frowned-upon industry could be part of the worldwide climate solution provided that old coal-fired plants were shut down, whatever carbon new ones released was captured and stored, and the world's coal reserves were no longer exploited as much as in the past.
“Like any other industry, you have a fiduciary responsibility to your workforce and shareholders. And by now it is abundantly clear that further capital expenditures on coal can only go ahead if they are compatible with the 2 degree Celsius limit,” Christiana Figueres stressed.
Lastly, the UN climate chief urged that people in the coal industry try and diversify their portfolio by investing in green energy sources.
“Some major oil, gas and energy technology companies are already investing in renewables, and I urge those of you who have not yet started to do this to join them. By diversifying your portfolio beyond coal, you too can produce clean energy that reduces pollution, enhances public health, increases energy security, and creates new jobs,” she pointed out.