We've heard the arguments. The developing world must burn coal because of the bottom line. Clean energy costs are prohibitive for developing nations. Coal is cheap. Coal is easy.
That is, it's cheap and easy if you're not paying attention.
Development requires a lot of energy, and countries like China and India fight hard to oppose economy-wide caps on their emissions, because they don't want to slow their modernization. They say they'll cap their emissions later, when they've fully industrialized, and after a period of similar action from all developed nations, including the US. And what about oil? It's become an entrenched component in modern, industrial economics. Commerce depends on it. Shipping depends on it. Transportation, heating, and a host of materials depend on it.
Fossil fuels are currently responsible for about 86% of the world's energy production. Coal accounts for 40%, oil 39%, and natural gas 21%.1