COAL, COLONIALISM & RESISTANCE
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the coal industry. The international hard coal business is financed by a complex network of banks, insurers, funds, companies, and government institutions. Europe’s largest coal investors and lenders include the Norwegian State Pension Fund, Crédit...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme weather events. But above all they also provide an important buffer against financial, physical, and political risks to coal companies,124 and are thus critical for the coal business. In response to increasing public pressure, many banks, funds, and...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for additional payments to (coal) power providers – for instance in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other mechanisms include the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, research and development (R&D)...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain through guidelines for mining companies and accountability and auditing processes. The organisational structure of Bettercoal already suggests that this is actually more about Public Relations than about environmental and workers’ protection, or the...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or investments in ‘renewable’ energy alongside coal-powered electricity generation. Such magic bullets include the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS, see chapter 9.2), conversion of power plants to gas and biomass (chapter 9.4), or even future...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement factories, the greenhouse gas would be captured, collected, and then pressed under earth to be stored forever. This way, climate polluters get to claim that their operations are ‘carbon neutral’. This idea is problematic for a range of reasons. It is...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars or the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russian gas terminals with the German coast. Several steel-making companies in Austria and Germany are now trying something very new: using hydrogen in steel-making. On the surface, this comes as a huge...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted to, or replaced with, other high carbon fuels, namely wood and gas. Fossil gas clearly fuels the climate catastrophe. The impacts of converting coal plants to burn wood are less well known. Biomass is a false climate solution. It creates major air...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs, governments, business leaders, and innovators. Criticising renewables can make you unpopular even in radical ecological spaces. The need to ‘reduce energy consumption’ and ‘increase efficiency’ tend to be added, almost as disclaimer, when one challenges...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear power plants do not produce CO2. This argument has been proven wrong many times. During the mining and processing of Uranium where Uranium oxide needs to be burned to get the pure uranium, CO2 emissions are produced. The huge amounts of concrete...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the coal industry. The international hard coal business is financed by a complex network of banks, insurers, funds, companies, and government institutions. Europe’s largest coal investors and lenders include the Norwegian State Pension Fund, Crédit...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme weather events. But above all they also provide an important buffer against financial, physical, and political risks to coal companies,124 and are thus critical for the coal business. In response to increasing public pressure, many banks, funds, and...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for additional payments to (coal) power providers – for instance in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other mechanisms include the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, research and development (R&D)...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain through guidelines for mining companies and accountability and auditing processes. The organisational structure of Bettercoal already suggests that this is actually more about Public Relations than about environmental and workers’ protection, or the...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or investments in ‘renewable’ energy alongside coal-powered electricity generation. Such magic bullets include the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS, see chapter 9.2), conversion of power plants to gas and biomass (chapter 9.4), or even future...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement factories, the greenhouse gas would be captured, collected, and then pressed under earth to be stored forever. This way, climate polluters get to claim that their operations are ‘carbon neutral’. This idea is problematic for a range of reasons. It is...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars or the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russian gas terminals with the German coast. Several steel-making companies in Austria and Germany are now trying something very new: using hydrogen in steel-making. On the surface, this comes as a huge...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted to, or replaced with, other high carbon fuels, namely wood and gas. Fossil gas clearly fuels the climate catastrophe. The impacts of converting coal plants to burn wood are less well known. Biomass is a false climate solution. It creates major air...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs, governments, business leaders, and innovators. Criticising renewables can make you unpopular even in radical ecological spaces. The need to ‘reduce energy consumption’ and ‘increase efficiency’ tend to be added, almost as disclaimer, when one challenges...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear power plants do not produce CO2. This argument has been proven wrong many times. During the mining and processing of Uranium where Uranium oxide needs to be burned to get the pure uranium, CO2 emissions are produced. The huge amounts of concrete...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the coal industry. The international hard coal business is financed by a complex network of banks, insurers, funds, companies, and government institutions. Europe’s largest coal investors and lenders include the Norwegian State Pension Fund, Crédit...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme weather events. But above all they also provide an important buffer against financial, physical, and political risks to coal companies,124 and are thus critical for the coal business. In response to increasing public pressure, many banks, funds, and...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for additional payments to (coal) power providers – for instance in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other mechanisms include the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, research and development (R&D)...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain through guidelines for mining companies and accountability and auditing processes. The organisational structure of Bettercoal already suggests that this is actually more about Public Relations than about environmental and workers’ protection, or the...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or investments in ‘renewable’ energy alongside coal-powered electricity generation. Such magic bullets include the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS, see chapter 9.2), conversion of power plants to gas and biomass (chapter 9.4), or even future...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement factories, the greenhouse gas would be captured, collected, and then pressed under earth to be stored forever. This way, climate polluters get to claim that their operations are ‘carbon neutral’. This idea is problematic for a range of reasons. It is...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars or the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russian gas terminals with the German coast. Several steel-making companies in Austria and Germany are now trying something very new: using hydrogen in steel-making. On the surface, this comes as a huge...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted to, or replaced with, other high carbon fuels, namely wood and gas. Fossil gas clearly fuels the climate catastrophe. The impacts of converting coal plants to burn wood are less well known. Biomass is a false climate solution. It creates major air...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs, governments, business leaders, and innovators. Criticising renewables can make you unpopular even in radical ecological spaces. The need to ‘reduce energy consumption’ and ‘increase efficiency’ tend to be added, almost as disclaimer, when one challenges...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear power plants do not produce CO2. This argument has been proven wrong many times. During the mining and processing of Uranium where Uranium oxide needs to be burned to get the pure uranium, CO2 emissions are produced. The huge amounts of concrete...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the coal industry. The international hard coal business is financed by a complex network of banks, insurers, funds, companies, and government institutions. Europe’s largest coal investors and lenders include the Norwegian State Pension Fund, Crédit...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme weather events. But above all they also provide an important buffer against financial, physical, and political risks to coal companies,124 and are thus critical for the coal business. In response to increasing public pressure, many banks, funds, and...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for additional payments to (coal) power providers – for instance in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other mechanisms include the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, research and development (R&D)...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain through guidelines for mining companies and accountability and auditing processes. The organisational structure of Bettercoal already suggests that this is actually more about Public Relations than about environmental and workers’ protection, or the...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or investments in ‘renewable’ energy alongside coal-powered electricity generation. Such magic bullets include the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS, see chapter 9.2), conversion of power plants to gas and biomass (chapter 9.4), or even future...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement factories, the greenhouse gas would be captured, collected, and then pressed under earth to be stored forever. This way, climate polluters get to claim that their operations are ‘carbon neutral’. This idea is problematic for a range of reasons. It is...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars or the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russian gas terminals with the German coast. Several steel-making companies in Austria and Germany are now trying something very new: using hydrogen in steel-making. On the surface, this comes as a huge...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted to, or replaced with, other high carbon fuels, namely wood and gas. Fossil gas clearly fuels the climate catastrophe. The impacts of converting coal plants to burn wood are less well known. Biomass is a false climate solution. It creates major air...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs, governments, business leaders, and innovators. Criticising renewables can make you unpopular even in radical ecological spaces. The need to ‘reduce energy consumption’ and ‘increase efficiency’ tend to be added, almost as disclaimer, when one challenges...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear power plants do not produce CO2. This argument has been proven wrong many times. During the mining and processing of Uranium where Uranium oxide needs to be burned to get the pure uranium, CO2 emissions are produced. The huge amounts of concrete...
3 Climate justice – why it’s not just about CO2
“We’re all in the same boat, and it’s sinking”, you may have heard climate activists say.
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs,...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear...
8.1 Where does the money come from?
Providers of capital are key to the planning, permitting, development, and operation of coal mines and the construction of power stations. But it is often very difficult to detect which financiers are supporting the climate-damaging projects of the coal industry. The international hard coal business is financed by a complex network of banks, insurers, funds, companies, and government institutions. Europe’s largest coal investors and lenders include the Norwegian State Pension Fund, Crédit...
8.2 Insuring climate catastrophe
Insurance companies also play an important role in the financing structure of the value chain around hard coal. In the debate on the climate crisis they are often regarded as ‘saviours’, as they insure against financial losses caused by extreme weather events. But above all they also provide an important buffer against financial, physical, and political risks to coal companies,124 and are thus critical for the coal business. In response to increasing public pressure, many banks, funds, and...
8.3 Government support
Many European governments continue to support and subsidise coal mining through a number of different mechanisms. They include subsidies for capacity mechanisms that are meant to guarantee security of energy supply when needed, in return for additional payments to (coal) power providers – for instance in France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other mechanisms include the allocation of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, research and development (R&D)...
8.4 Bettercoal
Bettercoal – founded by RWE, Eon, Vattenfall, Électricité de France, GDF Suez, ENEL, and Dong Energy in 2012 – is an initiative of several European energy companies which has set itself the supposed goal of a responsible global coal supply chain through guidelines for mining companies and accountability and auditing processes. The organisational structure of Bettercoal already suggests that this is actually more about Public Relations than about environmental and workers’ protection, or the...
9.1 Why technology will never solve the problem
When confronted with critiques of the true cost of coal, the coal industry and their friends in governments often refer to technological advances that allow for emission reductions, compensatory activities (so-called offsets) like tree planting, or investments in ‘renewable’ energy alongside coal-powered electricity generation. Such magic bullets include the promise of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS, see chapter 9.2), conversion of power plants to gas and biomass (chapter 9.4), or even future...
9.2 Catch me if you can – Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Big industry tries everything to save their CO2-intensive way of production. One false solution it offers is Carbon Capturing and Storage (CCS). The theory is that at facilities producing a lot of CO2, like fossilfuelled power plants or cement factories, the greenhouse gas would be captured, collected, and then pressed under earth to be stored forever. This way, climate polluters get to claim that their operations are ‘carbon neutral’. This idea is problematic for a range of reasons. It is...
9.3 Hydrogen is hypocrisy
Steel-making is a climate catastrophe in itself: in the process, hard coal is burned and CO2 emitted. In fact, it is one of the most carbon-intensive industries in the world. In addition, most steel is produced for emission-heavy products like cars or the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russian gas terminals with the German coast. Several steel-making companies in Austria and Germany are now trying something very new: using hydrogen in steel-making. On the surface, this comes as a huge...
9.4 Conversion from coal to gas and biomass
That the coal phase-out is under way in much of Europe – albeit far too slow – should be unequivocally good news for the climate. Sadly, this is not always the case: a growing number of coal plants, rather than being shut down, are being converted to, or replaced with, other high carbon fuels, namely wood and gas. Fossil gas clearly fuels the climate catastrophe. The impacts of converting coal plants to burn wood are less well known. Biomass is a false climate solution. It creates major air...
9.5 Renewable energy: a true alternative?
In our struggles against the coal industry it is easy to cling onto the promises of renewable energy as an easy alternative. Solar, wind, and thermal as ‘clean’ alternatives to dirty coal – these promises are propagated all around us: by NGOs, governments, business leaders, and innovators. Criticising renewables can make you unpopular even in radical ecological spaces. The need to ‘reduce energy consumption’ and ‘increase efficiency’ tend to be added, almost as disclaimer, when one challenges...
9.6 Still not loving nuclear
More recently, the nuclear and there is currently no feasible solution for industry has been working hard to sell us nuclear power plants as a green method of energy production and the solution to the climate crisis. Their main argument: nuclear power plants do not produce CO2. This argument has been proven wrong many times. During the mining and processing of Uranium where Uranium oxide needs to be burned to get the pure uranium, CO2 emissions are produced. The huge amounts of concrete...