As Trump embraces ‘beautiful’ coal, Europe bids adieu

By Sara Schonhardt | 06/27/2025 06:43 AM EDT

Ireland is the latest European nation to stop using coal for electricity generation as the region adopts renewables to meet climate mandates.

United Kingdom Undersecretary for Climate Kerry McCarthy (right) stands with Secretary for Energy Security Ed Miliband.

United Kingdom Undersecretary for Climate Kerry McCarthy (right) stands with Secretary for Energy Security Ed Miliband at an April conference in London. McCarthy says renewable energy is a "vast economic opportunity as well as a climate imperative." Toby Melville/AP

President Donald Trump has grand plans to revive what he calls “beautiful clean coal,” but much of the world is doing the opposite.

More than a dozen countries in Europe have stopped using coal or plan to stop this decade. Ireland became the latest when it closed its only coal-fired power station last week.

In Latin America, the halt of planned coal power plants this year in Brazil and Honduras left the region without a single proposed coal-based plant.

Advertisement

The reason, United Kingdom Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said Wednesday at a climate event in London: Clean energy is a “vast economic opportunity as well as a climate imperative.”

GET FULL ACCESS