Why the fastest warming place on earth can’t quit coal

Svalbard is one of the fastest warming places on earth. The archipelago, located about halfway between the North Pole and continental Norway, is warming many times faster than the rest of the world, according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

And yet Svalbard is home to the world’s northernmost coal mine and a coal-fired power plant that supplies electricity to the 2,500 residents who live here year-round. Moving away from coal in Svalbard has been a difficult and drawn-out process that involves economic, energy security and geopolitical concerns.

We packed our warmest clothes and travelled to Svalbard to find out why it’s so hard to quit coal. If a rich Arctic community on the frontlines of climate change can’t manage, what does that say about our global dependence on this cheap, reliable and dirty resource? Can we all ever kick the coal habit?

00:00 Intro
01:09 A coal miner's morning
02:20 Brief history of coal
02:58 Mine 7
04:11 Svalbard's energy transition
05:25 The global picture
05:48 Energy security
06:39 Hidden costs
07:31 Jobs
08:12 Coal's geopolitics
09:46 Quitting ain't easy
10:33 Winds of change
11:18 Conclusion

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We make short documentaries, explainers and original series for people who care about the world’s biggest challenges. Context is anchored around three of the most significant and interdependent issues of our time: climate change, the impact of technology on society and inclusive economies. We contextualize how critical issues and events affect ordinary people, society and the environment.

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