Coal phase-out

Fossil fuel phase out refers to the discontinuation of the use of fossil fuels, through the decommissioning of operating fossil fuel-fired power plants, the prevention of the construction of new ones, and the use of alternative energy to replace the role of fossil fuels.

The purpose of fossil fuel phase-out is to reduce the negative externalities that use of fossil fuels cause. Negative externalities refer to the costs a certain activity has over people who did not choose to incur in them. A direct negative externality from fossil fuels' use is air pollution, and an indirect negative externality are mining accidents, that happen as a consequence of the extraction of fossil fuels. Fossil fuel burning contributes to climate change, as it releases greenhouse gas emissions.

Coal is one of the largest sources of energy, supplying 28.6% percent of the world's primary energy in 2014 (equivalent to 3,917 Mtoe) according to the International Energy Agency. Coal combustion accounted for 14,863 Mt of CO₂ emissions in 2014, which is equivalent to a 45.9% of fossil fuel emissions from combustion (excluding non-energy emissions).

To decrease carbon emissions and thus possibly stop extreme climate change, some have called for coal to be phased out. Climatologist James E. Hansen said "We need a moratorium on coal now...with phase-out of existing plants over the next two decades." According to a study published in Science in 2017, coal has to be phased-out globally by about 2030, if the agreed 2 °C target is taken seriously.

Some nations have decreased their coal consumption thus far in the 21st century, the greatest reductions being in the United States (coal consumption reduced by 176 million metric tons per year over the period 2000-2012), Canada (reduced by 21 million tons per year) and Spain (20 million tons per year). Other nations have increased their coal consumption in the same period, led by China (increased 2,263 million metric tons per year in the period 2000-2012), India (increased 367 million tons per year), and South Korea (59 million tons per year). Worldwide, coal consumption increased 60% during the period 2000-2012. As of 2012, 1200 new coal power plants were reportedly being planned worldwide, most of them in China and India. In the 2011-2013 period, the OECD group of Western European countries has increased the use of coal, attributed largely to the low cost of coal and the high price of imported natural gas in Western Europe. However, coal consumption has peaked in China in 2013 or 2014, depending on the data used and fell in 2015 by 3.6%, even though there was a growth of GDP of 6.9%. Worldwide coal consumption peaked in 2014 and declined in 2015 and 2016.

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