Science Alert: [2] The benefits of phasing out coal far outweigh the real-world costs, scientists say, and that’s the case even when climate change is left out of the equation entirely.
[3] Of all the fossil fuels in the world, coal is the biggest source of carbon dioxide, and its impacts on air pollution and public health are profound. [4] Since the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, large-scale coal burning has cost lives, yet we’ve been struggling to kick it. Our global reliance on coal runs deep, so deep that even though we know it’s bad for us, we continue to burn it at unprecedented levels. [5] Now, new computer simulations on the regional effects of phasing out coal suggest that continuing on this trajectory is a big mistake, with negative impacts not only on the environment and human health, but also the economy.
[6] “We’re well into the 21st century now and still heavily rely on burning coal, making it one of the biggest threats to our climate, our health and the environment,” says Sebastian Rauner who researches climate impacts at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
“That’s why we decided to comprehensively test the case for a global coal exit: Does it add up, economically speaking? The short answer is: Yes, by far.”

The simulation the team has created incorporates information on the full extent of a ‘coal exit’ scenario, accounting for air pollution as well as the impact on the energy sector as a whole.