The use of coal was a hot topic at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26. The 2021 annual climate change summit which is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference was held in Glasgow, Scotland, under the presidency of the United Kingdom. At the conference, more than 20 developed countries pledged to end the use of coal by 2030 while developing nations will do so by the 2040s. While the global use of coal has somewhat reduced, coal use accounted for 37 percent of the world’s electricity in 2019. Of the top five global producers of coal which are United States of America (USA), China, India, Australia, and Indonesia; only Indonesia has signed on, while the rest have not.
Botswana was among countries in attendance at the summit and signed up to a global commitment to reduce the use of heavily-polluting coal. However, Botswana chose not to pledge to halt issuing new licences to mine the fossil fuel. This has led to some experts questioning whether the country is fully committed to fighting climate change.
Although numerous reports have been published which highlight that the world’s vast untapped amounts of coal must not be exploited if the global village harbours intentions of keeping global temperature from rising above the safety limit of 2 degrees Celsius, many countries including Botswana are still defending their use of coal. Maatla Resources which is developing the Mmamabula coal project in Botswana received its mining licence and is set to start construction of the mine.
President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi defended the use of coal early this year when delivering his presidential keynote address at a virtual mining Indaba Virtual. The president said since Botswana’s diamond industry is losing its sparkle, which is also being exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Botswana would now start to develop coal and base metals sectors to reduce overreliance on diamonds.
“Over-dependence on diamonds has more than ever made it imperative for us to urgently expand our revenue base to other minerals such as coal and base metals,” said President Masisi, adding that “Botswana has large coal reserves estimated at 212 billion tonnes which are largely unexploited. To this end, Botswana has developed a coal road map that identified eight potential options with the aim to increase the contribution of this resource to our economy.”
While the push for more coal power could be justified as a way of propping up the economy which has been battered by Covid-19, environmentalists says coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. The push for more coal power also appears at odds with Botswana’s climate goals.
At a national level this might make business sense since Botswana heavily relies on South Africa’s Eskom for its increasing energy needs. There will also be severe economic implications for Botswana to suddenly do away with its vast coal reserves. However from an ethical point of view, this might seem scheming as it throws doubt as to whether the country is capable of fighting climate change. The shift away from fossil fuels, which scientists say has to happen by 2050, is expected to require a major overhaul of world economies. However, Botswana’s continual use of coal and the slow pace of turning to renewable energy has many people questioning Botswana’s commitment to climate change.
Although the environment ministry claims they are in the process of transforming the country into green energy, the situation on the ground seems to paint a different picture as coal still elevates the country’s levels of air pollution.
For Botswana the issue always goes back to the fact that the country wants to be less dependent on energy importation from countries like South Africa. This is why Botswana seems to be ramping up its use of coal power plants. Experts have also said Botswana’s argument that it is a low emitter is not a license and good enough reason for the country to increase its use of coal. If Botswana wants to exploit its coal in an environmentally sustainable manner, it would mean that the cost of mining would increase significantly.
Furthermore, if Botswana decides to use carbon capturing techniques, it would prove to be a very expensive undertaking. However, the use of carbon capturing techniques at Morupule Coal Mine would send a strong message and prove Botswana’s commitment to reduce the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. The only question is if the country is prepared for the cost that comes with it.
Any transition to green energy will be a slow process and Botswana is not to blame. Neighbouring South Africa will phase out coal in an agreement called the Just Transition, which will sell $18 billion being allocated to the country to assist with the transition away from coal. However, Botswana is likely to face climate funding difficulties as long as it does not have a clear roadmap on how it intends to end the use of coal.
