Germany turns to coal again as Russian gas imports dwindle

As coal prices bite, Poles turn to collect firewood

Russia is supplying less and less gas to Germany. Now the Nord Stream pipeline is being shut for maintenance, and no one knows for sure if it will come back online. The Kremlin is using gas to exert leverage on Germany.

Gas supplies to Europe from Russia through the pipeline had been shut off for 10 days of scheduled maintenance. The flow has now restarted but at far below maximum capacity.

After banning imports of Russian coal in April, Europe's largest coal producer, Poland, is now suffering a shortage. As prices soar, Warsaw is scrambling to find emergency solutions that could speed up its coal phaseout.

Coal is seeing a bit of a revival in Germany, with out-of-service power plants being placed back online as gas supplies from Russia fall. But bringing coal-fired plants back online is easier said than done.

The European Union is proposing a cap on the price of Russian natural gas, despite Vladimir Putin threatening to cut off supplies for any market that does so. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also asking energy ministers to consider imposing a windfall tax on companies that have reaped the benefits of high oil and gas prices. It's a move many countries are considering - although the UK's new Prime Minister Liz Truss has ruled it out.

Ursula von der Leyen also proposed a price cap for firms profiting from rising energy prices and spoke of a "solidarity contribution" for fossil fuel companies.

Ursula von der Leyen's message was loud and clear in her State of the European Union address. To drive home the point, the EU Commission President, sporting the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag, had Ukraine's First Lady as her guest of honour. We ask about von der Leyen's message and the cost of a quick segue away from Russian oil and gas.

Ursula von der Leyen's message was loud and clear in her State of the European Union address. To drive home the point, the EU Commission President, sporting the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag, had Ukraine's First Lady as her guest of honour. We ask about von der Leyen's message and the cost of a quick segue away from Russian oil and gas.

Police have cleared activists from a coal power plant and the rail lines leading to it, detaining several people. The protest impacted power output. Meanwhile, in Berlin, another group blocked busy intersections.

Coal is seeing a bit of a revival in Germany, with out-of-service power plants being placed back online as gas supplies from Russia fall. But bringing coal-fired plants back online is easier said than done.

In his twenty-one years of mining coal in Mexico’s northern state of Coahuila, Juan Briones knows each time he descends the narrow shaft, he’s risking death to make a living.