Perspective Chapter: The True Cost of Coal – Should Ego Veto Eco?

Abstract

There is an urgent need to address the ever-growing concerns about the long-term impacts of coal mining as a cheap energy source in the 21st century because the consequence of inaction threatens the health of the environment, which is inextricably linked to human health. The discovery of the world’s largest solid fuel no doubt brought about industrial and modern technology revolution, but its cost on air, water, land, ecosystem, animal, and human health has brought about new realities that intreat urgent action. As humans, we sit on top of the food chain perpetuating our dominance over other species and studies have shown that with regards to the battle for the earth, human needs come first. To maintain a sustainable ecosystem, we need to foster a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes both the health and sustainability of our environment. A targeted transition away from coal to cleaner forms of energy will undeniably benefit the ecosystems, however appropriate measures are needed to continually reduce the environmental footprint, of the most available energy source so we can protect both the environment and human health.