SA coal industry urged to stand together in energy transition

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29-07-2021
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IOL Business Report
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WORLD Coal Association (WCA) chief executive Michelle Manook told the South African Coal Industry Day meeting held virtually yesterday that the industry must stand together and regain its voice as it transitions to a sustainable decarbonised future.

“Despite what climate politicians, environmental extremists and supranational entities would like you to believe, the coal Industry is not dead,” Manook said.

There has been a global push to lower carbon footprints because of climate change.

She said a new generation of coal players was emerging, and their business model was predicated on an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable approach.

“I believe as a result, they will be differentiated and rewarded as responsible players in the coal value chain - the preferred coal stakeholder - and their investors and shareholders will be more educated. A mature, unemotional positioning needs to get louder, and the way to do this is with an industry grounded and leading with the facts. I like to refer to this as raising the Coal IQ,” Manook said.

She said that raising the Coal IQ meant asking the tough, but realistic questions about the how and the cost and who was paying for the energy transition.