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Future of Coal Series

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Despite major shifts in the industry and serious worries in coal communities, today coal still supplies nearly 40% of our electricity. According to the Bureau of Land Management, one out of every five homes and business in the US use electricity made from Wyoming coal. But what does the future look like for fossil fuels in a world where there is increasing pressure to keep them in the ground? In this series, we examine the role of coal as an energy source in a world where constraints on carbon emissions are adopted to mitigate global warming. Indeed, the challenge for governments and industry is to find a path that mitigates carbon emissions yet continues to utilize coal to meet urgent energy needs, especially in developing economies.

Future of Coal Series

COAL: Best performing commodity of the year

Sep 14, 2016 08:49 am UTC| Commentary

Surprisingly yes and specifically metallurgical coal. Surprising, because the declining price of coal for past few years have claimed some prominent victims. Peabody Energy, which was the worlds largest producer of coal...

Future of Coal Series

As coal mining declines, community mental health problems linger

Aug 02, 2016 05:32 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

The U.S. coal industry is in rapid decline, a shift marked not only by the bankruptcy of many mine operators in coal-rich Appalachia but also by a legacy of potential environmental and social disasters. As mines close,...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

India is hedging its bets on coal to bring power to the people

Jun 15, 2016 07:08 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Nature

As the world moves to combat climate change, its increasingly doubtful that coal will continue to be a viable energy source, because of its high greenhouse gas emissions. But coal played a vital role in the Industrial...

Future of Coal Series

Is coal the only way to deal with energy poverty in developing economies?

Jun 14, 2016 08:30 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature Economy

Future of Coal Series

Coal and industrial relations: how miners secured workers' rights

Jun 10, 2016 02:32 am UTC| Insights & Views

Coal mining, major industrial disputes, and the coal miner himself, are iconic representations of the industrial age. Demand for coal came from expanding urban centres as a result of the Industrial Revolution, and new...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

South Australia is now coal-free, and batteries could fill the energy gap

May 13, 2016 10:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

South Australias last coal-fired power station closed on Monday this week, leaving the state with only gas and wind power generators. The Northern Power Station, in Port Augusta on the northern end of the Spencer Gulf,...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

River on fire: even if it's not coal seam gas we should still be concerned

May 03, 2016 07:12 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Astonishing footage of a river in Queensland on fire has once again stoked the coal seam gas (CSG) debate. The video shows NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham setting fire to methane seeping from the Condamine...

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Economy

Gold Prices Surge at Start of 2026 as Weak Dollar and Rate-Cut Bets Fuel Demand

Gold prices jumped sharply during Asian trading on Friday, marking a strong start to 2026 after a historic rally last year. Renewed demand for bullion was driven by a weaker U.S. dollar and growing expectations that U.S....

Asian Currencies Trade Flat as Dollar Weakens in Thin New Year Trading

Most Asian currencies traded near flatline levels on Friday as the U.S. dollar edged lower in thin holiday trading at the start of the new year. Reduced market participation across the region kept trading volumes subdued,...

South Korean Won Slides Despite Government Efforts to Stabilize Currency Markets

South Koreas won weakened on the first trading day of the year, slipping against the U.S. dollar despite renewed commitments from monetary and fiscal authorities to stabilize foreign exchange markets. The move highlights...

Asian Stock Markets Start New Year Higher as Tech and AI Shares Drive Gains

Asian stock markets opened the new year on a positive note on Friday, with technology and semiconductor stocks leading gains across the region, despite subdued trading volumes caused by holiday closures in major markets....

Oil Prices Stabilize at Start of 2026 as OPEC+ Policy and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook

Oil prices edged slightly higher on Friday, marking a steadier start to 2026 after suffering their steepest annual decline since 2020. Investors are cautiously balancing renewed geopolitical tensions with expectations that...

Politics

Trump Warns U.S. Ready to Act if Iran Kills Protesters Amid Escalating Unrest

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday issued a strong warning to Iran, saying the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities violently kill peaceful protesters during the countrys growing wave of unrest. In a...

Zohran Mamdani Sworn In as New York City Mayor, Pledges Bold Progressive Agenda

Democrat Zohran Mamdani was officially sworn in as New York Citys mayor on Thursday, marking the beginning of a new political era focused on affordability, social equity, and progressive reform in the nations largest city....

Xi Jinping to Host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as China Seeks to Strengthen Seoul Ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit beginning Sunday, highlighting Beijings strategic push to strengthen relations with Seoul amid heightened regional tensions...

Russia and Ukraine Trade Accusations Over New Year Attacks as Peace Talks Intensify

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians during New Year attacks, as the nearly four-year-old war continues amid renewed diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump. The latest exchange of...

Venezuela Frees More Detainees After 2024 Election Protests Amid Rising U.S. Pressure

Venezuelas government has released 88 additional people who were detained following protests that erupted after the countrys disputed July 2024 presidential election, marking the second large-scale release of detainees in...

Science

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Technology

Baidu Shares Surge as Company Plans Kunlunxin AI Chip Spin-Off and Hong Kong Listing

Baidu shares jumped sharply after the Chinese technology giant announced plans to spin off its artificial intelligence chip unit, Kunlunxin, and pursue a listing in Hong Kong. The move comes as domestic Chinese chipmakers...

Starlink Plans Satellite Orbit Reconfiguration in 2026 to Boost Space Safety

SpaceXs Starlink is preparing a major reconfiguration of its satellite constellation in an effort to improve space safety and reduce the risk of orbital collisions. According to Michael Nicolls, SpaceXs vice president of...

Samsung Signals Comeback With HBM4 Chips as AI Market Heats Up

Samsung Electronics is signaling a strong comeback in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market, as customers praise the competitiveness of its next-generation HBM4 chips. In a New Year address, co-CEO and head of the...

Google Accelerates AI Infrastructure With Ironwood TPU Expansion in 2026

Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is preparing for a major expansion of its AI infrastructure in 2026 as it moves its seventh-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), known as Ironwood, into mass deployment. This next phase marks a...

Trump Administration Lifts Sanctions on Three Intellexa-Linked Executives

The administration of President Donald Trump has lifted U.S. sanctions on three executives previously linked to the controversial spyware consortium Intellexa, according to a notice published on the U.S. Treasury...