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08 10 2018 / 16 11 2018

Coal is one of those enigmatic topics we hear about that is both dangerous to miners during the extraction process and, when coal is burned, the number one cause of greenhouse gases that is causing global warming. Most of us never consider that the main use for coal worldwide is to generate electricity and most of us never come face to face with coal, never mind see the inside of a coal mine.

India is the second largest producer of coal after China. Coal is an integral part of people’s daily lives in and around the “coal capital” Dhanbad in the state of Jharkhand in India. Coal is visible everywhere, from large scale open pit mines, to coal being transported via roads and rivers, to the use of coal in small businesses and homes. Coal is an integral part of the economy employing thousands in the extraction of coal and many more in other coal related industries such as coking factories. There is also a vast black market which is largely controlled by the coal mafia but also exploited by small scale local scavengers. While the mined coal’s main use is to generate electricity the disparity of access is noticeable as many villages in this area are not connected to the electrical grid.

Coal mining is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Coal miners face the daily dangers of cave-ins, flooding and gas explosions. In this area there is little regard for the safety of coal miners and employees working in coking factories, an environment with extreme heat and toxic byproducts, and there is no regard for the local environment nor for global impacts.

The challenge of moving away from coal to safer and cleaner energy sources becomes apparent considering that more than 17% of homes in India still need to be electrified and many more lack reliable electricity. Because of this, India is increasing coal production, despite the global need to curb greenhouse gases to minimize climate change impacts.

Ann Johansson