2014年，煤炭再次成為歐盟(eu)發(fā)電的頭號燃料，并仍是我們最經(jīng)濟、最安全的電力來源。隨著新的、更高效的燃煤發(fā)電廠投產(chǎn)，取代舊的發(fā)電機組，工會的煤炭使用量略有下降。盡管全球經(jīng)濟危機仍在持續(xù)，尤其是對歐洲的影響，但2014年頭幾個月油價仍居高不下。當(dāng)它最終到來的時候，石油價格的暴跌是戲劇性的。煤炭價格反映了市場狀況，而天然氣在2014年下半年收復(fù)了部分失地。較低的能源價格對歐洲消費者有利，但對歐洲煤礦企業(yè)不利，它們必須生存下去，直到全球各地煤礦的過剩生產(chǎn)得到遏制、地緣政治緊張局勢得到緩解。煤炭會成為歐盟政策禁止的燃料嗎?雖然這在實踐中可能不正確，但這是許多歐洲共同體成員國在第十屆歐洲共同體-歐洲共同體煤炭對話上所表達的看法。對他們來說，脫碳政策看起來像是一種去煤的政策，而不是一種減少排放從而創(chuàng)造一個低排放社會的政策。在2014年10月的歐洲理事會會議上，歐盟領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人同意了2030年的新目標(biāo):至少減少40%的國內(nèi)溫室氣體排放(1990年，c.f.)， 27%的最終能源消耗中的可再生能源，以及27%的能源效率目標(biāo)——可能在2020年審查后提高到30%。

In 2014, coal was again the No. 1 fuel for power  generation in the European Union and remains our  most economic and secure source of electricity.  Coal use in the Union fell slightly as new, more  efficient coal-fired power plants came on stream,  replacing older units. Despite the on-going global  economic crisis, affecting Europe in particular, oil  prices remained stubbornly high during the first  months of 2014. When it finally came, the  collapse in oil prices was dramatic. Coal prices  have reflected market conditions, while natural  gas was able to recover some of its lost market  share in the second half of 2014. Lower energy  prices have been good for European consumers,  but not for European coal mining companies who  must survive until overproduction from mines  around the world is stemmed and geopolitical  tensions ease.

Could coal become a forbidden fuel under EU  policy? While this might not be true in practice, it  was nevertheless the perception expressed by  many EURACOAL members at the 10th EC-EURACOAL Coal Dialogue. For them, the  decarbonisation policy looks like a policy to  remove coal, not a policy to reduce emissions and  thus create a low-emission society.

At a European Council meeting in October 2014,  EU leaders agreed to new targets for 2030: at  least a 40% reduction in domestic greenhouse gas  emissions (c.f. 1990), 27% renewables in final  energy consumption and a 27% energy efficiency  target – perhaps rising to 30% after a review in  2020.