Burning oil looks like it’s less problematic than burning liquified coal, vis a vis climate change. For one thing, coal is more abundant than oil and gas. South African industries are already making use of liquefied coal, big time. China and the US are considering liquefaction technology. Another problem with liquefied coal: it releases 40 percent more CO2 than oil when it’s burned, according to Ken Caldeira, a Carnegie Institution scientist (as well as an interviewee in A Sea Change).
Dr. Caldeira said: "Addressing the climate problem means addressing the coal problem. "Whether there’s a little more oil or a little less oil will change the details, but if we want to change the overall shape of the warming curve, it matters what we do with coal."
Climate change predictions are based on oil reserves; coal must be put into the picture as well.
"In 2007, Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obamaand Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning introduced legislation that wouldset the stage for large-scale production of transportation fuels fromcoal. Bunning and president-elect Obama come from state with prodigiouscoal supplies."
See the rest of the Reuters article here.
