More coal plants will deepen instead of cut poverty, caution researchers

London

BUILDING just a third of planned new coal-fired power plants around the world would push hundreds of millions of people into poverty as it accelerates climate change past an agreed limit of two degrees Celsius of warming, development researchers warn.

As pressure builds to phase out coal as a power source in favour of cleaner renewable energy, the coal industry has fought back, arguing that coal is the cheapest and most reliable way to bring power to millions without it. In particular, "clean coal" technology offers emissions 25 to 40 per cent lower than traditional coal plants, industry officials say.