China's efforts to improve coal supplies include the building of a new east-west passenger railway line, set to open in 2013, which should free existing tracks for coal transport.

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For example, the first phase of the EU Emissions Trading program, which contained several design flaws that have since been rectified, has already been found to have reduced emissions by around 100 million tonnes of CO2 mostly by forcing a shift of load from coal to gas power plants and providing an incentive for inefficient coal plants to improve the thermal efficiency of their boilers.

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This picture should improve as the UK reduces its dependency on coal.

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During his two and a half years running Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) on the northern coast of KwaZulu Natal, Mr Dlamini has done much to improve tense relations with the government and the state-owned rail company that brings coal to the terminal.

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