Fossil fuel companies risk wasting $2tn of investors' money, study says

Paris climate deal could render oil, gas and coal projects worthless with US, Canada, China and Australia most vulnerable to losing billions

Fossil fuel companies risk wasting up to $2tn (1.3tn) of investors' money in the next decade on projects left worthless by global action on climate change and the surge in clean energy, according to a new report.

The world's nations aim to seal a UN deal in Paris in December to keep global warming below the danger limit of 2C. The heavy cuts in carbon emissions needed to achieve this would mean no new coal mines at all are needed and oil demand peaking in 2020, according to the influential thinktank Carbon Tracker. It found $2.2tn of projects at risk of stranding, ie being left valueless as the market for fossil fuels shrinks.