European buyers of thermal coal are turning to Asia to take advantage of their abundant stocks. With demand falling in Europe due to high natural gas storage and renewable energy generation, market players are looking to resell their coal on the Asian market.
Vietnam is moving away from coal by 2030, with a planned 50% reduction in its current share of the energy mix, while emphasizing solar power and setting a target of 50% of homes or offices powered by this source by 2030.
16 people killed in a land dispute between tribes in Pakistan over the sharing of coal deposits. Disputes over the distribution of mineral resources are common in the mountainous region of Darra Adam Khel, despite past attempts to resolve them through traditional assemblies.
Alliance Resource Partners, a U.S. coal mining company, has increased shipments to more profitable export markets in the face of weak demand from its domestic customers due to lower natural gas costs.
Australia has closed its oldest coal-fired power station, located about three hours north of Sydney, as part of a dramatic shift to renewable energy. The Liddell power station supplied about 10% of the electricity consumed in New South Wales, the most populous state in Australia.
In China, the digitization of coal mines is accelerating, with robots and advanced technology gradually replacing human workers. But this modernization raises questions about the environmental impact of the mining industry and the fate of the workers.
France criticizes the idea of reviving fossil fuel energy in Germany to compensate for the nuclear phase-out, as it goes against the collective European climate action. Coal-fired power plants emit gases that are harmful to the air, and Germany plans to close all power plants by 2038.
Despite efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the United Kingdom plans to keep coal-fired power plants on standby for next winter.
The Biden administration has taken a strong step by announcing tighter restrictions on pollutants discharged by coal-fired power plants in their wastewater.
To cope with soaring global energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and domestic supply disruptions, China has decided to increase the use of coal in its energy mix.
