There are several reasons for this, but one stands out: government support. In India state-owned companies invest more than $6bn in coal mining and coal-fired power each year; statebacked banks provide some $10.6bn in financing. Indonesia doles out more than $2bn annually for consumption of coalfired power. Japan and South Korea finance coal projects outside their borders, too.
原因有很多，但最突出的一个是：政府的支持。在印度，国有企业每年在煤炭开采和燃煤发电方面的投资超过60亿美元；国有银行提供了约106亿美元的融资；印尼每年为燃煤发电支出逾20亿美元。日本和韩国也为境外煤炭项目提供资金。
Government support is hardly surprising. State-backed coal firms make money and create jobs. Wind turbines and solar panels provide power only intermittently; for now, dirtier power plants are needed as back up. Gas is pummelling coal in America, but remains a bit-player in India and much of South-East Asia, since it has to be imported and is relatively expensive.
政府的支持不足为奇。国有煤炭企业赚钱并创造就业机会。风力涡轮机和太阳能电池板只能间歇性地提供电力；目前，需要更脏的发电厂作为后备。在美国，天然气正在代替煤炭，但在印度和东南亚大部分地区，天然气使用比例仍然不高，因为天然气必须进口，而且相对昂贵。
Disentangling coal from the region’s economies is difficult. Indonesian coal companies are a powerful lobby; not coincidentally, power tariffs favour coal over wind and solar projects. In India coal subsidises passenger fees on railways. And heavy lending by state-owned banks has tied the health of the financial system to that of the coal industry.
将煤炭从这些地区的经济中分离出来是困难的。印尼煤炭公司是一个强大的游说团体；与风能和太阳能项目相比，电力关税更有利于煤炭项目，这并非巧合。在印度，煤炭收入能补贴铁路客运费用。国有银行的大量放贷将金融体系的健康状况与煤炭行业的健康状况联系在一起。
Nevertheless, governments betting on coal face three big risks. One is environmental. Emissions from coal plants that are already built—let alone new ones—will ensure that the world exceeds the level of carbon-dioxide emissions likely to push global temperatures up by more than 1.5°C.
然而，押注煤炭的政府面临三大风险。一个是环境。已建成的燃煤电厂的排放——更不用说新建电厂了——将导致全球二氧化碳排放量超过可能将全球气温推高1.5摄氏度以上的水平。
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