``With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to push many people back into poverty, such job creation is an opportunity that can’t be missed,” Guterres said. Apart from issues of job creation and concerns about pollution and climate change, coal power plants are likely to become “stranded assets,” he noted. ``In India, 50% of coal will be uncompetitive in 2022, reaching 85 per cent by 2025,” Guterres said. ``One of the measures is to reduce subsidy in fossil fuel and provide more incentives for farmers, households and common people to generate energy using solar and contribute to reducing energy poverty,” he said. Navroz K. Dubash, a professor at the Center for Policy Research, said that U.N. chief was right in saying that the days of coal are numbered.

Source: Daily Sun August 28, 2020 06:56 UTC