The Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University invites you to join a discussion with Laszlo Varro, Head of the Gas, Coal and Power Markets Division at the International Energy Agency (IEA). In its recently released Medium-Term Coal Market Report for 2012 the IEA finds, among other things, that while coal demand is declining in the U.S. it will come close to surpassing oil as the world’s top energy source by 2017. According to the IEA, the world will burn around 1.2 billion more tons of coal per year by 2017 compared with today more than the current annual coal consumption of the United States and Russia combined. China and India combined are expected to account for more than 90 percent of the increase in global coal use over the next five years (70 and 22 percent, respectively). The report also notes that in the absence of a high carbon price, only fierce competition from low-priced gas can effectively reduce coal demand. Join us to discuss the IEA’s projections as well as the implications they have for global energy policy, economic growth, and climate change.
The event will feature a presentation by Mr. Varro followed by a discussion moderated by Jason Bordoff, Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy.
