Global energy watchdog tips coal comeback

Global energy watchdog tips coal comeback
By Adam Plowright in Paris | November 07, 2007

THE rich world's energy watchdog painted a bleak picture of the next two decades today, with the world's dependence on fossil fuels set to rocket at a time of global alarm about climate change.

The International Energy Agency, an adviser to 26 countries, issued its World Energy Outlook 2007 report, identifying the long-term trends that will shape energy policy up to 2030.

Coal will make a comeback, the Middle East and Russia will grow in influence as oil suppliers, and emerging giants China and India will account for most of the increase in energy demand.

“The trends in energy demand, imports, coal use and greenhouse gas emissions to 2030 in this year's World Energy Outlook are even worse than projected in WEO 2006,” the agency warned.

It gave little hope to those looking for a technological breakthrough, which many believe is necessary for a meaningful reduction in world greenhouse gas emissions.

The Paris-based research centre did not identify a clean, new source of energy that can provide the power needed to fuel improvements in living conditions for the world's poor without damaging the environment.

Instead, it predicted that coal, one of the oldest and dirtiest sources of energy, would be king in emerging countries China and India in 2030.

“In line with its spectacular growth over the past few years, coal sees the biggest increase in demand in absolute terms, jumping by 73 per cent between 2005 and 2030,” the agency said....>

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