Countries are rushing to embrace coal to offset the historic energy shock triggered by fighting in the Middle East, underscoring the fuel’s continued resilience in the face of global climate efforts to curb its use.
Italian officials proposed Monday delaying the country’s phase-out of coal-fired power plants by 13 years. Germany, a famously green country that has been shutting down coal plants to slash planet-warming pollution, is reconsidering plans to phase out the carbon-intensive fuel.
In Asia, Japan is relaxing restrictions on its older coal plants to allow them to generate more power. Taiwan and Thailand are considering plans to restart retired coal facilities.
The effort to increase coal generation comes as countries scramble to find replacements for liquefied natural gas shipments blocked by fighting in the Persian Gulf region.
