By Vijay Jayaraj

The West’s grand crusade for a carbon-neutral future is turning into a colossal case of useless sacrifice. While Olympic athletes were asked to forego air conditioning in Paris it save the planet and American factories face crippling electricity costs, a stark reality continues to unfold in Asia.

China and India, the world’s largest and second largest energy consumers, respectively, are on a coal-fired rampage, building new power plants and opening new mines at a feverish rate. A report by Energy Institute reveals that global coal consumption has hit a record high, thanks to Asia Pacific demand.

Asia Pacific’s Surge in Coal Consumption

Developed nations pat themselves on the back for shutting down coal plants, even as Asia’s insatiable appetite for this energy source cancels out climate-driven actions in the West.   Every new coal mine in India or every additional megawatt of coal-generated power in China negates whatever emission reductions are achieved by the West.

Justifications for Asia’s coal dependency are rooted in the economic realities of the region’s rapid industrialization, which requires the reliability and affordability of fossil fuels. Criticism of reliance on coal, oil and natural gas is based on pseudo-scientific predictions of Earth being overheated by emissions of carbon dioxide — a plant food that is benefiting ecosystems.

In most cases, coal best meets Asia’s need for dependable baseload electricity. Coal is abundant, both domestically and globally. In contrast, renewable energy sources like solar and wind are simply not stable or cheap enough to meet the massive energy demands of these burgeoning economies.

According to Energy Institute’s recently published 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy, global coal consumption hit an all-time high in 2023, boosted by China and India. The data reveal that increased coal consumption in Asia Pacific negates reductions in the rest of the world. In other words, closures of coal plants in U.S., the U.K. and the rest of Europe are meaningless. There is no net reduction in plant emissions.

Compounding the situation are distant net-zero targets set by China (2060) and India (2070). These far-off dates provide the two nations free passes to continue using coal for the foreseeable future. Cutting emissions would stymie economic growth, depress employment in key sectors and exacerbate energy poverty, none of which are on the agendas of these countries.

West Digs Its Own Energy Graveyard

Western elites often overlook the social implications of their “green” push.  As traditional coal and gas plants are decommissioned, renewable energy sources increasingly undermine grid reliability, make blackouts more likely and drive up electricity prices. Low-income families in the West suffer most with the pressure of choosing between heating homes and putting food on the table.

High energy costs have become a significant burden for businesses across Europe and the U.S., threatening their viability. The Federation of Small Businesses in the U.K. reports its members experienced an average increase of more than 400% between 2021-23.

Environmental crusaders conveniently ignore such harsh realities, and warnings about the consequences of “green” policies seemingly fall on deaf ears.

A few weeks ago, the U.K.’s highest court ruled that “the climate impact of burning coal, oil and gas must be taken into account when deciding whether to approve projects.” It is guidance that can only worsen the country’s security and increase dependence on imported energy.

In Australia, most provinces face the risk of blackouts due to the government’s decision to move away from fossil fuels.  Shortfalls in wind power this year are putting pressure on gas supplies, which have been under-developed for years despite alarms. Gas producers and consumers are frustrated.

Retail prices of electricity have shot up in various regions of the U.S. and Europe, as more and more wind and solar are being added to the generation mix, making the grid unstable and more expensive to operate.

There have been some course corrections, but more are needed. Whether political leaders can let go of their climate altar remains to be seen.

This commentary was first published at Real Clear Markets on August 19, 2024.

Vijay Jayaraj is a Research and Science Associate at the CO2 Coalition, Arlington, Virginia. He holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia, U.K., and a postgraduate degree in energy management from Robert Gordon University, U.K.