Coal won't have very many allies pretty soon.

Expect the coal companies to employ many of the tactics and arguments that have been used on so many occassions in the past - by the tobacco industry, asbestos industry, oil industry, etc. Disinformation - continuing the silly policy of trying to bring doubt about whether global is happening and if it is whether it is caused by man. Discrediting opponents - those trying to save the planet (which happens to include the USA) are 'un-American'. Don't be surprised to hear labels such as 'communists', 'extremists', 'eco-loonies', and whatever else they think might tap a nerve in the American pysche. Confusion tactics - it is EITHER the US economy OR the environment. It isn't either or. Other tactics to expect: funding obscure NGOs and think tanks to do their propoganda for them. Spending tons of money on lobbyists to curry favor with Congressmen. Stuffing lots of (secret) money into politicians pockets. Threatening and bullying other economic players. Hiring battalions of lawyers to put obstacles against any regulations, laws or complaints that negatively affect them. And so on and on. Everything except open, honest, responsible argumentation, logic and actions. All most of them care about is their money. Ensuring US energy independence, my ass. That is just a conveniently hijackable line-of-reasoning that they know some Americans will fall for.

what people need to realize is it takes a scientist to argue with a scientist. a coal company arguing agains science is like a carpenter arguing with his doctor, saying he doesnt believe in cancer. we as a society hire people to devote their careers to understanding things (doctors, scientists, etc). if you want to know about science, ask a scientist who specializes in the field in question. better yet, ask all of them, and compare their answers. in this particular case, you will find science in overwhelming agreement on the current situation, and people who own oil amd coal companies pretending they know something about science to argue with them. donal trump said it best: "hire smart people, and then listen to them." that is good advice.

"...Robert Murray, chairman and chief executive of Murray Energy Corp., warned the coal industry could collapse with the loss of 3 million to 4 million jobs if carbon dioxide emission controls are introduced."

"He branded more than 20 major corporations that make up the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) "un-American" for allying with environmental groups he calls 'enemies of coal'".

Yes. I am also an "enemy of coal" in the sense that I would like to see its use gradually replaced by energy from renewable sources. I think that we should allow at least 50 to 100 years as the replacement time but it eventually will have to be replaced because it is a finite source.

Coal cannot be replaced overnight or we would go back to another age but Robert Murray must realize that coal has a life cyle. We are not asking to end its use in the immediate future; that would be foolish. What we are saying is that financial support and incentives for the coal industry should be re-directed toward its replacement by renewable sources, not necessarily because of the pollution and harmful effects coal burning causes but for the fact that we cannot become overly dependent upon it to continually sustain our demand for energy.

adrianakau2aol.com

My biggest advice to those worried about the upcoming and widespread loss of jobs in the coal and oil industries is to migrate with any means possible to green jobs. I surmise that most of the technicians involved in the coal and petroleum industries have the required knowledge to transition professionally to renewable based jobs.

While the "un-American" bit is utter rubbish, his stance does bring up an important question. What will communities who rely on the coal industry do as the U.S. starts to transition to cleaner technologies? A lot of families are going to be hit hard, maybe moving from the middle class to below that poverty line.

I'm hoping that local and state governments see the writing on the wall early and 1) transition their economies, 2) put in programs to retrain their workforce and 3) do what they can to woo other burgeoning or established industries to their states, sharpish. Think of the lean years that people suffered in industrial or mining towns like Pittsburgh, Flint (see "Roger & Me") or Sheffield in the last 1/2 of the 20th century.

@Chester
Sure, the best educated folks can migrate and find work elsewhere, but the typical blue collar worker tends to be S-O-L, the last one standing as his/her community collapses.

there was a post on TH about a new scrubber that pulls out 85% of Co2 and other metals for a very low low price of 22mil. which is cheap against other techs atm.

why they dont embrace clean tatics is beyond me. we know we just switch them off just like that. if they all jumped in with an 85% reduction of their estimated 30% of total emissions then the world would praise them.

if they help jump ship with car-to-grid buy back schemes like googles parnter ge&e or someone. jumping into algae reactor research, wind & solar onsite with coal operations, heat reuse. they have an emense resources they can put to use. more than the industrys that have fallen before them. they would benifit MASSIVELY from electric cars if they supported them and helped green the reasons for ppl to buy them.

they could change the world faster than al gore. if they learnt that spending money can make money, in more ways then their current trends.

btw, moon. scientists they arent. lairs they are, and the public dont know whats what when ALL articles in the media (good and bad) just always say "scientists". followup stories are never read by the same ppl the read the first unfortantely. so disinformation is very effective, especially to our trusting parents.