Sustainability and the future of coal
The right kind of venting
Michelle Manook, Chief Executive, World Coal Association Michelle Manook is Chief Executive of the World Coal Association. She has held the role since July 2019. Previously, she was Head of Strategy, Government and Communications for Europe, Asia and Africa for the multinational company, Orica. Her career spans over 25 years in senior roles in the energy, oil and gas and mining industries in both developed and developing markets. She has also held non-executive director positions in energy and healthcare sectors and early in her career, worked in policy and public affairs for the Government of Western Australia.
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In her first BBMC Yearbook piece, Michelle writes about the delicate balancing act our industry finds itself traversing, and our need to vent – in the right way.
ou don’t know me but if you did, you would realise I don’t tend to publicly vent. I have a close circle of trusted colleagues with whom I can let off a little steam but mostly - I’m a thinker, and always have been.
When I make important decisions in my life, I get a piece of paper and put a line down the middle and consider the pros and cons. This is my father. He told me that all important decisions in life, no
matter how emotional, need to be made dispassionately. So here we are. Talking about coal dispassionately. Interestingly, my observation is that ‘coalies’ are as passionate as ‘anti-coalies’. I am sure many would not appreciate that comparison. But in the short time I have been in this role – and from my global balcony – it is what I see. So, we have an opportunity to make a compelling case for coal and, as I often say, raise the Coal IQ. But, if I were to give any advice, it’s not to vent publicly or quietly. Just speak up, and passionately, in support of your business and chart the change that will need to occur, so you continue to be in it. Over my last three years as CEO, I have spent an enormous amount of time looking, learning, and listening about the challenges and complexities of the coal business. I have visited coal plants the world over - facilities of every type and definition – from the aged and retiring, to the gleamingly new and emissions-free. I have spoken with WCA members, other participants along the coal value chain, potential new members, governments, academics, scientists, journalists, investors, financiers and critics. Here’s the one thing I know for
sure: The majority of us agree, that regardless of what you think about the science, there is an overwhelming global desire to decarbonise. And, so we must, because that is what the majority have voted in favour of. And with that premise (and promise), it is time to take a customer-centric approach. The Other Shoe Consistent with my rational and bilateral upbringing (Eastern European/Asian/ Australian), I have always tried to keep an open mind when I assess any given issue or problem. When in doubt, I put myself in the other’s shoe to try and see things from another perspective. I believe this has been helpful to my work with the WCA and allowed me to speak on behalf of coal in a way that is factual and realistic. Unfortunately, good sense, fact and realism are things which seem to be slipping farther away as the climate debate becomes more entrenched and extreme. There is so much being said and done to coal’s detriment, even with the shoe on the other foot, I believe it is time to get a microphone. The problem is, no-one really wants to hand you one and when they finally do, it can have the hallmarks of a failed karaoke attempt. Simply put, if I don’t, and we don’t as a collaborative coal community, speak up and raise the volume, our opportunities will diminish and coal’s right to survive and thrive will become much harder. BBMC Yearbook 2021
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