According to new data, the amount of electricity from coal in the United States will rise this year for the first-time since 2014. This will be a blow to President Biden’s climate promises when Biden arrives in Scotland for the United Nations climate summit.
Global warming is being addressed by cutting down on coal-based energy production and promoting cleaner natural gas. This is what developed countries have been telling India and China.
According to U.S. Energy Information Administration (USAIA), however, the U.S. switched back to coal due to a spike in natural gas prices.
It stated that it expects 22 percent more coal-fired electricity this year than last, marking the first annual increase since 2014.
The details brought new criticism from all sides, and Biden was at risk of lecturing the developing countries to “do what I say, not how I do.”
Steve Milloy is a senior policy fellow at Energy and Environment Legal Institute. He said that the surge in coal usage was due to policies that demonize gas.
“Utilities burn whatever is the cheapest.” He said, “That’s coal right now.”
‘Biden is fighting the war on natural gases. If he gets his way, fracking will be ended. Fracking is the sole reason US emissions have decreased in the first instance.
“If you believe in reducing greenhouse gasses, then you will know that Biden’s plan is completely backfiring.”
President Biden will visit the COP26 Climate Summit on Monday. Leaders want to get the world closer to limiting temperature rises to below 1.5C.
New data suggests that the U.S. is likely to generate more electricity from natural gas due to the rising prices of natural gases – the first increases since 2014.
The Miller coal Power Plant, Adamsville, Alabama sends nearly as much planet-warming carbon dioxide into space as 3.7 millions cars per year.
Democrats had set a goal to reduce the U.S.’s greenhouse gas emissions by half by the end of the decade and were forced to drop a key provision in their massive Build Back Better bill last Wednesday.
The Clean Energy Performance Program would reward power companies that increase their share of renewables by 4 percent per annum – and give a stick for those that do not.
It was thrown out as part of a plan to keep warring Democrats together.
According to Scottish environmentalists, it demonstrated how difficult it was for Biden in pushing through change and taking on the role as global leader.
‘It’s clear Biden has a job on his hands to get any kind of ambitious plans on climate passed, and we’ve already seen the efforts of Senator Joe Manchin and coal industry voices water down sections of the Build Back Better Bill when it comes to fossil fuels,’ said Mark Ruskell, Member of the Scottish Parliament and environment spokesperson for Scottish Greens.
“The truth is that smaller countries such as New Zealand and Denmark are leading global efforts to move beyond the eras of oil and gas.
“Scotland has already moved past coal. Biden must spend some time in Glasgow to speak with them.
Around 20,000 people will attend the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland. This includes scientists and policy experts as well as representatives from governments.
Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, was also accused of hypocrisy because he failed to state that he would not refuse permission for a coal mine to open.
Biden was also criticised because of the carbon footprint of his trip. He flew an entourage consisting of officials, security personnel, and vehicles, first to Rome, and then to Scotland.
The trip is expected to generate 2.2 Million pounds of carbon. This is mostly due to the four planes that ferry everyone, as well helicopter hops and motorcades among venues.
Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, is also facing accusations of hypocrisy in advance of the summit.
His government has final say over plans for a coal mine in the north of England. Although he has stated that he is against the opening of mines, he has been accused by his government of providing tacit support by not yet directing a halt.
His government also reduced taxes on domestic flights last week, despite warnings from environmentalists that it would hamper efforts to reduce emissions from airliners.
Britain hopes that the leaders meeting in Glasgow will agree to proposals to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels and to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
However, there were setbacks during the run-up.
Climate activists have been disappointed by India and China’s insistence on digging in their heels.
Beijing announced Thursday that it will not alter its climate goals. It had previously told the U.N. that it would reach peak emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Domestic coal production will continue to rise until 2025.
India, the third-largest emitter in the world said that it would not announce any new targets.
The carbon footprint of President Biden’s trip to Europe has been also criticized by the American public
The environment secretary of the United Kingdom described net zero emission as a “goalpost shifting” exercise.
Rameshwar P Guptasaid stated that the country’s coal production will increase in absolute terms but decrease as a percentage of total energy.
He stated that “We depend on coal” and that he would like to continue.
American conservatives see a president making bold claims that he can’t turn into legislation at home, and which he can’t persuade key countries to follow, undermining America’s place in the global community.
“And what this really boils down into as we go to Glasgow is that this has an enormous effect on American legitimacy and American relevance,” said Steven Groves (Margaret Thatcher fellow at Heritage Foundation).
“When you have to make these silly promises and commitments, then they shouldn’t be made.”