Language
Country/Area
No result found
Future energy transition: Why OECD countries must phase out coal power by 2030?
As the issue of global climate change becomes increasingly serious, governments, environmental groups and the general public are becoming more concerned about the source and use of energy. In recent years, coal-fired power, as the most traditional form of energy, has faced severe criticism and pressure from all sides. OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries have begun to reassess the use of coal and have set a clear goal of phasing out coal-fired power by 2030. The background and necessity of this transformation deserve further exploration.
Coal-fired power is one of the main sources of global carbon emissions, affecting the atmospheric environment and human health. The current situation needs to be changed urgently.
Current Status and Challenges of Coal-fired Power
According to estimates, there are currently about 2,500 coal-fired power plants in the world, emitting about 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year, which accounts for about one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Due to environmental issues of coal-fired power, many OECD countries have begun planning to gradually shut down coal-fired power plants and seek more sustainable sources of energy. According to data, China is the world's largest producer of coal-fired power, but its coal-fired power output has changed in recent years, with a trend of gradual decrease.
In 2020, with the development of renewable energy technology, the global market share of coal-fired power began to be challenged.
Health Risks and Environmental Impacts
The harm of coal-fired power lies not only in the emission of carbon dioxide, but the expansion of coal-fired power plants also brings various challenges to the environment. For example, the tiny particulate matter of coal particles can cause a variety of health problems, such as asthma and heart disease. In the United States, emissions of harmful substances such as PM2.5 have caused 460,000 premature deaths in the past two decades. Therefore, effectively reducing the use of coal-fired power will help protect human health and improve the environment.
Technological innovation and alternatives
In the process of reducing their reliance on coal-fired power, many OECD countries have also increased their investment in renewable energy, especially the development of technologies such as wind and solar power. As battery storage technology advances, the reliability and availability of these energy sources have also increased. In addition, researchers are looking for solutions such as carbon dioxide capture to mitigate the environmental impact of existing coal-fired power.
The report points out that if the global temperature rise is to be limited to 1.5 degrees, OECD countries must completely phase out coal-fired power by 2030.
International Trends and Policy Recommendations
At the international level, many countries have pledged to focus on reducing the use of coal power. For example, at the 2021 COP26 conference, participating countries had in-depth discussions on the future of coal-fired power and pledged to accelerate the phase-out of coal-fired power in the next few years. The OECD's growth forecasts and research reports clearly point out that continued reliance on coal-fired power will pose a major obstacle to the world's achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
As renewable energy becomes more competitive, the economic viability of coal-fired power is being challenged.
Transformation opportunities and future prospects
For OECD countries, eliminating coal-fired power is not only for environmental protection, but also an important part of economic transformation. The development and use of new energy will bring new economic growth points to the country and create more employment opportunities. In this process, national governments need to formulate relevant policies to support industrial transformation and assist in the transformation of the workforce to make this transition smoother.
With various challenges and opportunities coexisting, how will future energy development affect our lives?
