BRITAIN WASthe first country to generate electricity from coal. On September 30th that era came to an end when itclosed its last coal-fired plant, amid much self-congratulation. But look beyond England’s clean and pleasant skies—and those of the mostly rich countries in theOECD, a third of which now have coal-free electricity—and there is little to be smug about.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “The king that refuses to die”
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