And politicians who have made careers arguing against fossil fuels have been left with little choice but to embrace coal - at least for now. The upshot: Less than six months after the war began, coal is re-emerging as a fuel of choice, or necessity - even in places with strong commitments to green energy. But right now, energy costs are soaring, supplies are low, and cleaner alternatives aren’t anywhere near ready to make up the difference.Įurope has also seen its own version of a global trend: As pandemic-driven shutdowns have eased and economies have sprung back to life, demand for energy has spiraled. In a few years, the continent may be more self-sufficient and less reliant on fossil fuels - a European plan laid out in July 2021 promised an end to all fossil fuel use by 2030. But as the war has dragged on, it has also exposed a harsh reality: Much of Europe isn’t ready to make a clean break with Russia when it comes to energy. coal exports, meanwhile, are set to reach a three-year high this year.ĭriving this renewed interest in the so-called black stuff is Russia’s war in Ukraine and the way it has transformed the global energy landscape.Īcross Europe, the early days of the conflict brought pledges to speed up an end to the reliance on coal-fired power plants given Russia’s invasion, nations across the West quickly moved to wean themselves off Russian energy supplies. Australian and South African coal producers have seen a jump in demand from international buyers.

On the other side of the world, Colombia is stepping up coal production and has resumed exports to Ireland, which had halted imports from the Andean country in 2016 because of human rights concerns. Over in Britain, the government is looking at the possibility of delaying the closure of some coal-based plants. The government in France said it is “reserving the option” to do the same this winter, while the Netherlands has lifted a cap on the amount of energy that can be produced by coal-fired facilities. Austria is about to reopen a plant that has been shut since 2020. This month, the German government cleared plans to reactivate decommissioned coal-fired power plants. From Berlin to London and beyond, coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels, is having a resurgence.

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