Iran War’s Gas Supply Shock Pushes Top Consumers Back to Coal

A deepening conflict in the Persian Gulf has upended oil and gas markets. It may also have provided coal — the dirtiest fossil fuel — with its most significant boost in years.

Climate negotiators have been trying for decades to consign coal to history. That task was already challenging before last month, thanks to expanding energy demand in Asia, a growing focus on domestic self-reliance and faltering programs to wean emerging economies onto greener power.