The global energy crisis is causing coal use to soar ahead of the United Nations’ COP27 summit, where countries will renew pledges to phase out fossil fuels, Bloomberg reported Friday.
Numerous world leaders, including President Joe Biden, will attend Egypt’s COP27 to discuss plans to slash carbon emissions and promote green energy amid a raging energy crisis. Meanwhile, coal-fired electricity generation, particularly in Europe, is surging as Russian natural gas and renewable energy sources are in short supply, according to Bloomberg. (RELATED: Global Energy Chief That Told Countries Not To Invest In Fossil Fuels Is Now Sounding The Alarm On Europe’s Gas Crisis)
More than 40 countries agreed to completely phase out or defund coal projects during 2021’s COP26 climate conference, according to the BBC. Although coal produces more emissions than any other fossil fuel, coal-fired electricity production could set a record for the second-straight year as energy-starved countries refire coal plants to power their economies in the winter months, Bloomberg reported.
BONN, GERMANY – JUNE 06: Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, speaks on the opening day of the UNFCCC’s SB56 climate conference on June 06, 2022, in Bonn, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Nations like Germany have been forced to restart coal plants to keep lights on, as Russia has continually disrupted natural gas deliveries into Europe following levied sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, exacerbating energy shortages.
China, a country that will not attend COP27, is also ramping up coal production to secure its energy supplies. China is the world’s largest carbon emitter and emits more emissions than the U.S., Europe and Japan combined, largely due to its manufacturing industry which is largely fueled by coal.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who attended the previous conference, said that she is boycotting COP27 and declared the conference to be a “scam,” on Monday. Thunberg accused world leaders of using such conferences to get attention by “lying” about their plans to prevent the “climate crisis.”
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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