Europe is scorching.
Temperatures across parts of the continent are soaring to dangerous highs again on Tuesday. The high for London will be close to 40 degrees. Berlin will hit 35.
Amid what’s been an intense, dangerous heat wave, there are difficult conversations happening across Europe about the future of energy, and how to prevent even more damage to the planet by burning fossil fuels.
By their own admission, a growing number of the world’s energy companies say they need to transition to renewables.
“The future (of) power generation definitely belongs to renewable sources,” acknowledges Guido Steffen, a spokesperson for RWE, a major German energy company.
But in Europe right now, gripped by heat, the exact opposite is happening. Major countries like Germany and the Netherlands are turning to coal to ensure they have enough power to keep the air conditioning running, and, in a few months, the heat on.
For decades, they’ve relied on gas imports from Russia, but now, with the war in Ukraine putting a squeeze on those supplies, there are fears of energy insecurity in the months to come.
Enter the village of Lützerath, in the western corner of Germany.
These days, all that remains of this hamlet are a few abandoned buildings and a cluster of trees.
The village is right in the middle of Germany’s “coal country,” and is a snapshot of the fight for the future of energy in Europe.
Just behind the trees of the village, there is a gaping hole – a giant opencast coal mine whose possible expansion environmentalists have been trying to block for years.
Coal is increasingly seen as a dying venture, but the mine, which contains lignite, the most polluting kind of coal, is getting a new lease on life, albeit temporarily.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has unleashed a run on global energy supplies – oil, gas, and, now, coal.
Major economies around the world are increasing…
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