New scientific research shows that the focus of the fight against global warming and climate change must be reducing the levels of coal, and not oil, simply because coal pollutes more. The amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) it emits are far larger than those pumped into the atmosphere by oil refineries worldwide. The researchers behind the new study say that, by using oil and gas alone, humankind may be safe from the effects of global warming for a long time.
But by adding highly-polluting coal to industrial processes, mostly for the production of electrical current, the greenhouse gases that are pumped into the atmosphere increase not only in amounts, but also in the negative effects they inflict on ecosystems on dry land, as well as in the ocean. Increased acidity of the world waters already prompted a 20 percent decrease in coral reef populations, along with the decline of the many fish species living around them.
"Addressing the climate problem means addressing the coal problem," explains Carnegie Institution scientist, Ken Caldeira. "Whether there's a little more oil or a little less oil will change the details, but if we want to change the overall shape of the warming curve, it matters what we do with coal." he says. He adds that, by burning fossil fuel, power plants emit 40 percent more deadly CO2 than facilities using natural gas or crude to generate electricity.
The only solution to this problem is carbon trapping and storing, but outfitting plants with this type of technology is very expensive, and producers warn that the higher their costs are, the higher the price of electricity for common people.
But seeing how there are enough fossil fuels on the planet to push the levels of CO2 in the air way beyond the 450 ppm (parts per million) threshold, which is regarded as the last limit before the damage to the environment is irreversible and too severe, the “normal” thing to do would be for companies to simply get over themselves and their profit and think about the greater good.
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