First modification:
Faced with high gas prices, which rose 400% on continents such as Europe, several countries increased their coal production. This despite the fact that it pollutes twice as much as gas and that it could go against the environmental commitments that will be agreed at COP26 in Glasgow.
The energy crisis that the world is going through has caused an increase in the production of fossil fuels in several nations, specifically coal. It is a tug of war between this power source and the gas. As the economic reactivation after the confinements of the pandemic increased the demand for gas, prices soared.
In Europe, the most affected continent, the price of gas has increased nearly 400% so far this year and that of oil has risen more than 60% in the world.
Faced with the skyrocketing prices, the United States was one of the nations that increased its production in the coal mines. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that this year the country will produce 22% more coal than in 2020, despite the fact that said production had been in a sustained decline since 2014.
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Global Climate and Energy Leader for WWF, told France 24 that it is common for countries to exploit the energy sources that are easier for them to access. This would explain how in the United States, coal was increased due to high gas prices, since not in vain both sources they are those that produce most of the energy of the North American country, according to the EIA.
But, on the other hand, this implies a challenge in the environmental promises made by US President Joe Biden. Raising coal production is inconsistent with the president’s goal that all energy sources in the country are carbon-free by 2035.
China ordered to produce coal at full capacity due to power outages
Another of the most polluting countries also increased its coal production. Chinese media have reported that at least 24 provinces in the country have suffered blackouts due to the energy crisis, especially in three northeastern provinces: Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. And the winter that is coming will make things even worse due to the demand for energy for heating.
Faced with the situation, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang met with the State Council and gave six instructions to deal with the shortage. One of them was to increase the coal production capacity and put into full operation the open pit mines that have already been authorized by the government. Currently, coal is the source of at least 60% of power plants throughout the Asian giant.
The problem with these two countries increasing their energy based on coal is that this is the most polluting source. The EIA maintains that coal pollutes almost twice as much as natural gas and 70% more than diesel and gasoline, all fossil fuels.
The concern is even greater when the two countries that produce the most CO2 emissions in the world are those that increase their energy based on coal, such as China and the United States.
.