Australia to Continue Coal Production Despite UN Warnings

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Australia has announced that it will continue coal production beyond 2030 despite the UN's warning that there will be major economic chaos due to climate change if fossil fuels are not phased out.

According to the US CNN broadcast on the 6th (local time), Keith Pitt, Australia's Minister for Resources, stated, "It will be the Australian government, not foreign institutions, that decides the future of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in export industries."

In his statement, he said, "Australia plays a crucial role in meeting global coal demand," adding, "Coal generates significant revenue, contributes to taxes for both state and federal governments, and employs more than 50,000 people."

He also added, "The figures showing the imminent phase-out of coal are greatly exaggerated, and the future of coal beyond 2030 is guaranteed." While listing the economic benefits coal has brought to the Australian economy in this statement, he did not mention the climate change crisis.

He explained, "The International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected that coal consumption in Asia will increase over the next decade to meet the energy demands of countries such as China, India, and South Korea."

Australia is the world's second-largest coal exporter and has a large carbon footprint due to the development of the coal industry. While the global average carbon emission per capita is about 5 tons annually, Australia emits 17 tons.

Additionally, out of 176 new coal projects worldwide, 79 are being carried out in Australia. The coal industry accounts for about 2% of all industrial jobs in Australia.

Minister Pitt's remarks came after Selwin Hart, the UN Special Adviser on Climate Change, warned at a forum held at an Australian university that if coal is not rapidly phased out, the Australian economy will face major chaos from climate change, affecting sectors from agriculture to tourism.

Coal is the largest single source of carbon emissions globally, and the UN has urged OECD countries, including Australia, to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.

Australia has set a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26?28% from 2005 levels by 2030. This is significantly lower compared to the US, which plans to reduce emissions by 50?52% during the same period.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.