Middle East Eye | 12/26/2022
As the ban on Russian oil kicked in earlier this month in tandem with freezing temperatures across Europe, the continent has turned to traditional, outdated energy sources to prevent extensive power shortages this winter. Despite pledges to abandon it altogether, coal is back in the mix.
France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Greece are reactivating coal-fired power plants. Poland is reviving its defunct mines and even opening new ones. Meanwhile, households unable to afford more expensive heating options are firing up their coal furnaces.
But with Russian coal out of the picture, there’s just not enough of the fossil fuel on the continent to meet this rising demand. This means Europe is looking beyond its borders to buy coal in bulk, and it’s shaking up an industrial sector in transition in the process.
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Naomi Cohen | journalist 