Climate outcome "depends on coal"

The BBC reported yesterday that our climate outcome depends on not burning coal in power stations without carbon capture and storage.

Well, clearly.

Let's look at some figures.



These are stabalisation scenarios plotted against the carbon remaining in fossil fuels. Which ever way you look at it - there's a problem (data from the IPCC).

The BBC is reporting that there might be only 662G Tonnes of Carbon - well who cares. If you still add up the oil, gas (and a smaller coal) bar we're still way over the stabailisation scenario bars on the right.

It's game over.

So when they say "The group found it was possible [to limit climate change to 2DegC], but only with a prompt moratorium on new coal use that does not capture CO2, and a phase out of existing coal emissions by 2030" I find it hopeful - because there is this get-out-of-jail-free card called "carbon capture and storage".

This is why carbon capture and storage is so desperately important.