Coal: Old and New 

In this seminar, we explore both the longstanding historical role of coal and its place in new energy imaginaries in a country where coal production has been heavily affected by war. Until recently, Ukraine was one of the largest producers of coal in Europe. With most of its coal reserves located in the country’s eastern regions, currently under Russian control, and other coal regions affected by long-term poor mine governance, Ukraine is now receiving coal as humanitarian aid from other countries to meet its energy needs. While countries such as Germany return to their coal-fired power plants in the face of the natural gas crisis, sanctions on Russian exports have contributed to also price shocks to global coal markets. 

We ask: how is coal imagined at a time of sanction-induced energy scarcity and carbon-neutrality climate targets? What is the legacy of coal? And can there be a return to coal for Europe? 

Register for this seminar on EventBrite.

This event is part of the Ukraine: Energy in the Spotlight series.

Image courtesy of the UMA. Copyright: Pokrovsk Historical Museum