- FutureCoal has praised the outcomes of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg and the COP30 climate talks in Belém, saying both events underscored the need for balanced, technology-neutral energy transitions—particularly for emerging economies focused on security, affordability and development.
The organisation highlighted that leaders at both summits declined to endorse a prescriptive, global fossil-fuel phaseout. COP30’s final agreement contained no reference to fossil fuels, while the G20 declaration reaffirmed that nations will choose their own energy pathways based on sovereign priorities and national circumstances.
FutureCoal Chief Executive Michelle Manook described the alignment between the two meetings as “a decisive moment for global energy realism,” noting that the outcomes reflect the Paris Agreement’s principles of technological neutrality and national choice.
“There is no single pathway and no mandated fossil-fuel phaseout,” Manook said. “A credible transition must recognise technological diversity and uphold reliability and affordability. Ignoring baseload supply and industrial stability creates risk, not progress.”
Manook also pointed to recent confusion surrounding South Korea’s COP30 announcement. Although the country pledged to phase out unabated coal by 2040, she said it was widely misreported as a commitment to exit all coal.
“Clear terminology matters,” she said. “Losing the distinction between abated and unabated technologies misleads the public and obscures the modernisation already underway in energy systems.”
Both summits emphasised the role of zero- and low-emission technologies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS) and advanced industrial applications. Manook said this aligns closely with FutureCoal’s Sustainable Coal Stewardship framework, which outlines abated technologies capable of reducing emissions by up to 99%.
“We need a movement driven by improvement and innovation, not refusal,” she added. “COP30 and the G20 have made clear that progress depends on what we build—not simply what we shut down.”
FutureCoal Chairman and Seriti Resources Group CEO Mike Teke said the combined outcomes mark a pivotal shift in global energy cooperation.
“COP30 and the G20 have moved the conversation beyond ideology and into implementation,” Teke said. “For developing regions across Africa, Asia and Latin America, the goal is to achieve development and decarbonisation together. These outcomes show growing international support for practical, flexible energy solutions rather than rigid directives.”
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
