Ukraine war: boost or setback for climate efforts?

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — About 1,000 miles away from Ukraine, Luetzerath is an indirect victim of the war as the town will soon make way for the expansion of a nearby coal mine. Environmentalists have been up in arms about the decision which would pump millions more tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide into the air. But although there are moves toward coal in the short term, German officials say the country is still on track to meet its longer-term climate goals. Analysts say the war has accelerated the path toward clean energy in Europe as the continent works to wean itself off Russian supplies, although there are concerns from climate hawks this isn’t happening fast enough.