Peabody Energy, an American coal company and unlikely
participant at a global conference on climate change in November, 2017,
nevertheless previewed its presentation by trumpeting coal as part of the
solution with: “As the world seeks to reduce emissions while promoting economic
prosperity, fossil fuels will continue to play a central role in the energy
mix.”[1]
Besides interlarding economic growth at the conference that was on the climate,
the company’s management felt the need—nay, even the obligation—to remind the
world that coal would still play a prominent part in how the world obtains
energy for its billions and billions of human beings. “The reality of it is the
world is going to continue to use fossil fuels, and if I can throw myself on
the hand grenade to help people realize that, I’m willing to do it,” said Barry
Worthington of the U.S. Energy Association before the conference in the E.U.
city of Bonn. Were people really unaware that reliance on coal was an intractable
problem from the standpoint of reducing carbon emissions, or was the American
company simply wanting to sell more coal?
The full essay is at "Shamelessly Selling."
1. Lisa
Friedman, “For Climate Conference, a Sales Pitch on Fossil Fuels,” The Wall Street Journal, November 3,
2017.
