Coal industry will never recover after coronavirus pandemic, say experts

Crisis has proved renewable energy is now a safer investment, and accelerated the shift

The global coal industry will never recover" from the Covid-19 pandemic, industry observers predict, because the crisis has proved renewable energy is cheaper for consumers and a safer bet for investors.

A long-term shift away from dirty fossil fuels has accelerated during the lockdown, bringing forward power plant closures in several countries and providing new evidence that humanity's coal use may finally have peaked after more than 200 years.