Poland May Be Moving to Phase Out Coal

There’s a lot to love about Poland.  The land of Frederik Chopin, great vodka, awe-inspiring architecture, and a rich history of scientific breakthroughs that includes the work of Nicolas Copernicus and Marie Curie. (Pictured: Warsaw’s Belvedere Restaurant, IMO one of the world’s very best.)

Now, there is a movement in Poland to switch to clean energy sources, though, if this happens, it will encounter enormous financial and political counterforce, due on the Poles’ deep entrenchment in coal.  When the EU meets to discuss decarbonizing its grid, Poland has historically been the loudest voice in descent.

No, this is not a done deal.  Polish coal miners have launched a protest–underground.  That’s right, they refuse to return to the surface of the Earth until their demands are met.  And we thought things in the U.S. were wild.