The Biden Administration has announced a halt to the construction of new coal plants in the United States and committed to the phasing out of existing ones.

This announcement was made by U.S. Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry at the COP28 United Nations climate change summit in Dubai.

Kerry emphasized the need to “accelerate unabated coal phase-out” to build stronger economies and communities, stating, “The first step is to stop making the problem worse: stop building new unabated coal power plants.”

This decision is part of America’s commitment to the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group of nearly 60 countries dedicated to ending coal-fired power stations, barring those few with carbon capture and storage capabilities.

This action is a key element of the U.S.’s strategy to limit global warming to 1.5 Celsius.

Currently, coal powers just under 20% of U.S. electricity, a significant decrease from its peak in 2008.

President Biden has expressed his intention to shut down coal plants nationwide, replacing them with wind and solar energy sources.

This transition is already in motion, as clean energy tax credits and onerous and unworkable federal regulations render coal plants less economically viable.

A report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Finance Analysis predicts the closure of 173 coal plants by 2030 and an additional 54 by 2040.

For example, the Brandon Shores coal power plant near Baltimore is slated for deactivation in June 2025, following a settlement with the Sierra Club.

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The environmental impact of coal is significant, as it produces more carbon emissions than any other non-renewable fuel. The American Geosciences Institute notes that coal’s carbon footprint is about twice that of natural gas.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports coal generates approximately 211 pounds of carbon dioxide per million BTUs of energy, compared to 117 pounds for natural gas and 156 pounds for gasoline.

This U.S. commitment to reduce coal usage contrasts sharply with China’s recent expansion of coal power generation.

China, responsible for about 27% of global emissions, has an emissions output triple that of the U.S., the world’s second-largest emitter.

Meanwhile, global delegates at COP28 have circulated a letter urging the U.S. and other Western nations to ban new natural gas infrastructure projects immediately.

These developments are detrimental to our nation’s energy stability and security.

Shutting down coal plants before establishing reliable alternative energy sources is a form of national suicide, especially given the significant role coal still plays in U.S. electricity production and the contrasting energy policies of global competitors like China.

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