Turning the Tide Against Coal

The Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide is working with partners around the world to take a critical step toward protecting the climate: Stopping the burning of coal…

While some countries have moved past coal, in others utilities and coal companies are pushing hard to burn more coal. In the Philippines, 23 coal-fired power plants are in the pipeline… In India, more than 400 new coal-fired power plants are planned. Building all these coal-fired power plants would devastate air quality and the global climate…

ELAW’s team of lawyers and scientists helps local advocates make the case against coal and promote cleaner energy sources. ELAW staff scientist Mark Chernaik, Ph.D., is a biochemist who helps local advocates build the scientific case against burning more coal. ELAW staff attorney Jennifer Gleason taught energy law at the University of Oregon School of Law for 10 years and helps craft model policies to reduce reliance on coal and promote renewables.

Around the world, local advocates are battling to turn the tide against coal:

Robyn Hugo, head of the Pollution and Climate Change Programme at the Centre for Environmental Rights in South Africa, says: “Despite our climate change commitments and notwithstanding decisive action taken elsewhere in the world to move away from coal, South Africa intends to procure another 2,500 megawatts of electricity from independent power producers.

“ELAW’s expertise is invaluable in our fight – on behalf of affected communities – against these new coal-fired power stations.”

ELAW has helped partners in more than 20 countries take on coal and lawyers from the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Kenya, India and the Philippines have called on us recently for urgent help challenging coal…

Every time a community rejects coal and chooses renewable energy, it helps clear the air and moves us closer to solving our global climate crisis.