中文
Colombia has proposed legislation that would ban new coal mining licenses, as the South American country pushes ahead with plans to transition away from fossil fuels and meet its climate targets.
The bill, which is open for public consultation, aims to advance Colombia's "decarbonization goals" by prohibiting new exploration and production contracts for coal, Bloomberg reported, citing the energy ministry.
President Gustavo Petro, who took office in August 2022, has refused to sign new contracts for oil and coal as part of his pledge to wean Colombia off its dependence on fossil fuels. The proposed law would cement the ban into legislation.
Colombia is South America's largest coal producer and the fuel makes up around half of its total exports. But the country has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 51% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement.
The bill also contains provisions to allow the government to expropriate mining assets under certain conditions to support job creation and industrial development.
Coal, however, will remain important for the country's revenue and energy security in the short-to-medium term. The industry generated around $2.2 billion in royalties last year.
Thermal coal currently provides around 16% of Colombians' energy needs and backs up hydroelectric plants during periods of low rainfall, according to the national coal association Fenalcarbón.
According to the latest report from grid operator and coordinator of the wholesale electricity market XM, electricity generated with fossil fuels in January was 63.8GWh/d on average. Coal had a 41% share.
The country must continue moving towards clean energy but cannot discard thermal generation as a backup, said Fenalcarbón president Carlos Cante.
In 2023, Colombia exported 54.5 million tonnes of thermal coal, 2.01 million tonnes of metallurgical coal and 3.9 million tonnes of coke.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Harry Huo)
For any questions, please contact us by inquiry@fwenergy.com or +86-351-7219322.
