German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine mustn't lead to a “worldwide renaissance” for coal — comments that come as Germany itself brings coal-fired power plants back online in an effort to prevent an energy crunch this winter.
In a speech to parliament, Scholz highlighted his government's efforts to counter the effects of Russia's decision to cut off gas supplies to Germany. The government has in recent months approved reactivating several coal- and oil-fired power plants, and environmental activists warn that Germany risks defaulting on its climate goals by burning more fossil fuels.
