Changes

[[Image:Miners1911.jpg|thumb|550px|power drills (left) replaced hand picks (right about 1910, and greatly increased productivity]]

[[Image:Miners1911.jpg|thumb|550px|power drills (left) replaced hand picks (right about 1910, and greatly increased productivity]]

Since 1890 coal has also been a political and social issue. Coal miners' labor unions became powerful in many countries in the 20th century. Often, the miners were leaders of the left or Socialist movements (as in Britain, Germany, Poland, Japan, Canada and the U.S.) <ref>Geoff Eley, ''Forging Democracy: The History of the Left in Europe, 1850-2000'' (2002); Frederic Meyers, ''European Coal Mining Unions: structure and function'' (1961) p. 86;  Kazuo and Gordon (1997) p 48; Hajo Holborn, ''History of Modern Germany'' (1959) p. 521; David Frank, ''J. B. McLachlan: A Biography: The Story of a Legendary Labour Leader and the Cape Breton Coal Miners,'' (1999) p, 69; David Montgomery, ''The fall of the house of labor: the workplace, the state, and American labor activism, 1865-1925'' (1991) p 343.</ref> Since 1970, environmental issues have been paramount, including the health of miners, destruction of the landscape from strip mines and mountaintop removal mining, air pollution, and contribution to global warming.  

Since 1890 coal has also been a political and social issue. Coal miners' labor unions became powerful in many countries in the 20th century. Often, the miners were leaders of the left or Socialist movements (as in Britain, Germany, Poland, Japan, Canada and the U.S.) <ref>Geoff Eley, ''Forging Democracy: The History of the Left in Europe, 1850-2000'' (2002); Frederic Meyers, ''European Coal Mining Unions: structure and function'' (1961) p. 86;  Kazuo and Gordon (1997) p 48; Hajo Holborn, ''History of Modern Germany'' (1959) p. 521; David Frank, ''J. B. McLachlan: A Biography: The Story of a Legendary Labour Leader and the Cape Breton Coal Miners,'' (1999) p, 69; David Montgomery, ''The fall of the house of labor: the workplace, the state, and American labor activism, 1865-1925'' (1991) p 343.</ref> Since 1970, environmental issues have been paramount, including the health of miners, destruction of the landscape from strip mines and mountaintop removal mining, and air pollution.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, coal has been on a significant decline as a source of plentiful and inexpensive electrical power generation. With the advent of cheaper renewable energy and efficient natural gas generators, coal is no longer the dominant source in Europe, North America, and Russia. <ref> http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/energy-industry/electricity-generation.</ref> <ref>html https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/html/epa_08_04.html </ref><ref>https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3</ref> <ref>http://www.electricity.ca/media/pdfs/EnvironmentallyPreferrablePower/2-powergenerationincanada.pdf</ref>  <ref>http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Gross-electricity-production-by-fuel-GWh-EU28-2014-TABLE.png</ref> <ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-19/europe-s-coal-power-is-disappearing-quicker-than-anyone-thought </ref> <ref> http://factsanddetails.com/russia/Education_Health_Transportation_Energy/sub9_6c/entry-5153.html</ref>

Since the beginning of the 21st century, coal has been on a significant decline as a source of plentiful and inexpensive electrical power generation. With the advent of cheaper renewable energy and efficient natural gas generators, coal is no longer the dominant source in Europe, North America, and Russia. <ref> http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/energy-industry/electricity-generation.</ref> <ref>html https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/html/epa_08_04.html </ref><ref>https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&t=3</ref> <ref>http://www.electricity.ca/media/pdfs/EnvironmentallyPreferrablePower/2-powergenerationincanada.pdf</ref>  <ref>http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Gross-electricity-production-by-fuel-GWh-EU28-2014-TABLE.png</ref> <ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-19/europe-s-coal-power-is-disappearing-quicker-than-anyone-thought </ref> <ref> http://factsanddetails.com/russia/Education_Health_Transportation_Energy/sub9_6c/entry-5153.html</ref>