Van Schagen said that in the past 2000 years of steel manufacturing, greenhouse gas emissions, per tonne of steel produced, have dropped from a high 1000 tonnes to around 3 tonnes.

Since 1870, greenhouse gases from electricity generation have gone from 8000 to around 400 tonnes per megawatt hr.

van Schagen pointed out that this showed that R and D makes a difference.

“Currently more than two thirds of the world relies on coal for its basic energy needs and the CCSD is responding to position coal as part of the energy mix for a sustainable future,” he said.

“We are targeting our research with an understanding of energy and ironmaking demands and trends, and working to develop technologies to improve the economic, social and environmental performance of coals.

Van Schagen endorsed the comment made by Robert Priddle, of US-based International Energy Agency for Fossil Fuels, who spoke at the South African Sustainable Development conference.

“Though environmentally challenged, coal can meet the criteria of security and affordability, with technology driven by the right incentives…with clean coal technologies safely capturing and storing carbon, plus the right mix of fuels, thus offering possible answers to the environmental problems,” Priddle said.

CCSD will continue to provide research that will make a difference to coal’s performance in a sustainable future, van Schagen said.