The Philippines is set to open 23 coal-fired power plants over the next five years to meet rising electricity demand, illustrating the challenge climate-talk negotiators face in crafting a deal that reduces carbon emissions. Competition from natural gas and environmental regulations have crippled the coal industry in most of the developed world, bankrupting companies and snuffing out jobs in the U.S. and Europe. But in the Philippines and in dozens of other developing countries, coal remains an essential fuel for building more prosperous societies. The commodity is cheap and abundant, supplying about 40% of the world’s energy, according to the International Energy Agency. But coal is also responsible for a third of all carbon emissions, and its use is projected to rise—especially in Asia. Environmentally minded leaders, especially from the West, want to curb coal use. But many developing countries, aware that it fueled the industrialization of the U.S. […]