MANILA, Philippines – Coal has been touted as the cheapest source of energy. What makes it economically viable is its abundant supply locally as well as abroad, while technology and infrastructure for coal-fired power plants can be built at a cost relatively lower than other sources of energy.
If we count the externalities though – or the effects of coal on health and the environment – that wouldn’t be the case. The life cycle of coal – from extraction to combustion – carries risks and negative impacts on health, water, land, and air.
Coal is also one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, the culprit behind climate change.
There is a growing trend across countries, both developed and developing, to shift from coal to clean energy sources. The Philippines however deviates from this trend, having approved 29 additional coal-fired power plants, which will be operational by 2020.
View the infographic below to know more about coal, its long-term health and environmental effects, and the real price we pay for using it to produce electricity. –Rappler.com
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