This report has been produced by the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon (ICSC) for the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Coal Industry Advisory Board (CIAB). It is based on a survey and analysis of published literature, and on information gathered in discussions with interested organisations and individuals. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged. It should be understood that the views expressed in this report are our own, and are not necessarily shared by those who supplied the information, nor by our member organisations.

The ICSC was established in 1975 and has contracting parties and sponsors from: Australia, China, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and the USA.

The overall objective of the International Centre for Sustainable Carbon is to continue to provide our members, the IEA Working Party on Fossil Energy and other interested parties with definitive and policy relevant independent information on how various carbon-based energy sources can continue to be part of a sustainable energy mix worldwide. The energy sources include, but are not limited to coal, biomass and organic waste materials. Our work is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes the need to address the climate targets as set out by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We consider all aspects of solid carbon production, transport, processing and utilisation, within the rationale for balancing security of supply, affordability and environmental issues.

These include efficiency improvements, lowering greenhouse and non-greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water stress, financial resourcing, market issues, technology development and deployment, ensuring poverty alleviation through universal access to electricity, sustainability, and social licence to operate. Our operating framework is designed to identify and publicise the best practice in every aspect of the carbon production and utilisation chain, so helping to significantly reduce any unwanted impacts on health, the environment and climate, to ensure the wellbeing of societies worldwide.

The ICSC is organised under the auspices of the IEA but is functionally and legally autonomous. Views, findings and publications of the ICSC do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or its individual member countries.