Coal Is Back From the Dead Thanks to Russia’s War

In Germany and Italy, coal-fired power plants that were once decommissioned are now being considered for a second life. In South Africa, more coal-laden ships are embarking on what’s typically a quiet route around the Cape of Good Hope toward Europe. In the U.S., coal burning is in the midst of its biggest revival in a decade, while China is reopening shuttered mines and planning new ones.

The world’s addiction to coal, a fuel many thought would soon be on the way out, is now stronger than ever.