Peabody Energy has applauded the London-based Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which rejected false advertising claims by WWF aimed at stopping candid discussion about coal’s vital role in alleviating energy poverty, increasing access to low-cost electricity and improving emissions. “The company believes that access to clean, modern energy from coal is as basic as food, water or shelter, enabling a high standard of living and helping people live longer and better,” said Peabody Energy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce.

“Every one of the UN Development Goals depends on energy. Yet some 3.5 billion citizens awaken each day with little or no access to energy. Many have no enduring light, no refrigerators to keep food fresh and no clean, safe way to create warmth in their homes.”

In its ruling, ASA recognised Peabody’s right to assert its opinion that global energy poverty – which impacts half the world’s population – is the number one human and environmental crisis for society today. The ASA recognised Peabody’s goal of raising awareness and support to alleviate energy poverty and create electricity access using all forms of energy. The group also called for greater clarification regarding use of the term “clean coal technologies.”

Peabody believes the term “clean coal technologies” is widely accepted. The US Congress itself defined the term clean coal, and Japan and China have recently affirmed the use of clean coal technologies as important to their energy strategies.

Clean coal technologies describe high-efficiency supercritical technology as well as the collection of technologies that reduce key power plant emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates and mercury. These technologies are commercially available and remain in broad use globally.

In the US, advanced technologies have reduced the key power plant emissions rate 90% as coal used for electricity has risen 170% since 1970, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Peabody will continue to broadly and globally communicate the benefits of advanced coal solutions as part of an all-in energy strategy to create energy access, keep energy costs low and continue to improve the environment,” Boyce said.