Axing coal not cutting CO2

Moving from burning coal to generating electricity from shale gas in the US is not cutting emissions as much as thought, as coal is being exported for use elsewhere, a report has warned.

Gas produces lower carbon emissions than coal, and the US is now burning less coal to generate electricity because of the development of unconventional gas reserves in shale rock.

However, millions of tonnes of unused coal are being exported to the UK, Europe, and Asia, researchers from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Norwich said.