International efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have magnified a long-running dilemma for the European Union: Its attempts to wean itself from coal have left it more reliant on Moscow for natural gas. This dependence has made it reluctant to support the kind of tough sanctions on energy exports that some say are essential for thwarting Russia’s aggressions.
As part of its efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions, the EU has reduced its reliance on coal, the burning of which produces more carbon dioxide than oil or natural gas.
