Green
The Pandemic Has Everyone Ditching Coal Quicker — Except Asia
It’s a tale of two hemispheres as the U.S. and Europe cut back while the appetite grows in China and India
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While the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating the death of coal in developed nations, the dirtiest fossil fuel is alive and kicking in Asia.
Demand for electricity plunged -- and with it the need for coal -- as factories around the world sat dormant and people spent months at home. In the U.S. and Europe, that’s expected to accelerate the shift away from the fuel. But in Asia, which makes up three-fourths of global consumption, the appetite for coal is roaring back and expected to continue growing after briefly being tripped up by the virus.