Australia: Won't miss the period of rising coal demand and refuse to phase out fossil fuels

The Paper's reporter Nan Boyi

On November 8, local time, Australia's Minister of Mines and Resources said the country would not close coal mines or coal-fired power stations and would continue to maintain its competitiveness in the coal market for decades to come.

According to Agence France-Presse reported on the 8th, during the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Australian Minister of Mines and Resources Keith Pitt said in an interview on the same day, "We have made it very clear that Australia will not close coal mines, nor will it close coal-fired power stations." Pitt believes Australia has the highest quality coal in the world and will continue to remain competitive in the coal market.

Pitt claims that global coal demand is expected to rise by 2030. "If we don't win that market, other people will win that market as well." Rather than using coal from Indonesia, Russia or elsewhere, I would prefer that Australia's high-quality coal be used to provide jobs and build Australia's economy. Pete said.

Australia is one of the world's largest producers of coal and natural gas, but has also suffered droughts, floods and wildfires triggered by extreme weather in recent years. The Morrison administration unveiled a net zero target by 2050 in October, but the plan has been criticized for lacking detail and relying heavily on unknown technological breakthroughs. The Australian Minerals Commission said its 2050 emissions reduction targets could be met by making significant investments in technology.

Editor-in-Charge: Su Yangfan

Proofreader: Yan Zhang