SME has issued its latest technical briefing paper, “Coal’s Importance in the U.S. and Global Energy Supply.” All energy sources, including nuclear, hydro, wind, solar and other renewables, have some role to play in contributing to the global electrical power grid. However, for the foreseeable future, base load power generation through the use of fossil fuels, and especially with coal, is the most cost-effective way to provide affordable, safe and reliable electricity at the scale that is needed to achieve genuine access to modern electricity services world-wide. Coal is, and will continue to be, the backbone of global electricity generation. Export of U.S. coal to energy resource-poor countries will contribute significantly to reducing global energy poverty. Further, in the U.S., distinct environmental, economic and social challenges to the continued use of coal must be balanced with an acknowledgment by policymakers that coal is still a viable energy source, is essential to national security, and should be included in any discussion of a long-term “all of the above” energy policy. This SME paper, and others on a variety of mining related topics, can be found at www.smenet.org/gpac under Advocacy.