EXPLAINER: Why quitting coal is so hard

By KARL RITTER
Associated Press

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — In the run-up to the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, host Britain announced one of its goals of the conference was to consign coal to history. That has turned out to be easier said that done. Government negotiators in Glasgow wrote and rewrote a paragraph that spells out that fighting climate change requires the world to end coal power. The wording was weakened one last time just before the gavel came down Saturday after coal-dependent India insisted on replacing the words “phase out” with “phase down.” Coal isn’t easy to get rid of, even as renewables become more competitive on price. Electricity needs are soaring and renewables simply aren’t enough to satisfy that growth in demand.