, Columnist
China’s Return to Coal Looks Set to Be Short-Lived
Himalayan floods are filling rivers and dams once again, bringing the nation closer to its emissions peak.
Let it flow.
Photographer: VCG/Visual China Group via Getty Images
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One of the vagaries of zero-carbon power as the world approaches its emissions peak is the way small year-to-year changes can mask the scale of the transformation underway.
Consider Europe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year shut down gas imports just as drought conditions sapped hydroelectric generation and maintenance problems put much of France’s nuclear fleet out of action. The result was a rash of dire warnings about the continent’s “return to coal” as solid-fuel generators set for retirement were put on notice to fix the shortfall.