In the final analysis, coal-to-liquids does not bring the world any closer to solving the climate crisis.  In fact, if a coal-to-liquid plant does not capture and sequester its CO₂ emissions, the overall CO₂ produced by a vehicle burning the liquid as fuel is significantly higher than burning diesel.

In a Congressional hearing held in April 2005, David Hawkins of the Natural Resources Defense Council testified that even if 90% of the carbon from a coal-to-liquids plant were to be captured and successfully sequestered, the “well-to-wheels” CO₂ emissions would still be 8% higher than for petroleum production and refining.