German leader warns against ‘worldwide renaissance’ for coal

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that Russia’s war in Ukraine must not lead to a “worldwide renaissance” for coal. His comments on Thursday 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.