Britain ushered in industrialization in the 18th century by swapping manual labor for coal-powered machines, and eventually most of the planet followed suit. Over the last five years, however, the UK has tried to wean itself off the fossil fuel.
The plan is to shutter all UK coal plants by 2025, shift to burning natural gas, and invest in renewable technologies. In the meantime, the remaining plants are taken offline for days or weeks at a time when renewable energy sources provide enough power to fuel the country. Coal is still a major energy provider around the world, especially in places like China and India. If the planet is to have any hope of avoiding catastrophic climate change, those countries will need to find alternatives too.
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