The use of coal in combustion - whether to generate electricity or heat, or for use in steel or cement manufacturing - creates a number of environmental challenges. The primary environmental issues relating to the use of coal are:

Climate change is a global challenge and requires a concerted global response. CO2 makes up 80% of anthropogenic (human induced) GHG emissions. Over the last century, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen, in large part driven by fossil fuel use but also because of other factors, such as land-use change and deforestation.