Coal is the most significant fossil fuel contributor to climate changeBy Dan Vergano edited by Claire CameronThe coal announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, June 4, 2026. Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesJoin Our Community of Science Lovers!At a White House briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump invoked a national defense law to steer nearly $700 million to support coal power plants and exports. Trump aims to use the 1950 Defense Production Act to refurbish 13 coal plants, build two new ones and establish a West Coast coal export facility in the U.S.—even as many coal plants around the country are retiring and the fossil fuel is in long-term decline.“We’re into energy that really works,” Trump said at the briefing, claiming that coal firms would pay an additional $1.7 billion to support the new construction. The administration is also angling for existing coal plants in four states to remain operational past their retirement dates.Coal and oil are already heavily subsidized, but the administration says that by reversing coal’s steady decline, it will create 14,000 new jobs. On Thursday the Environmental Protection Agency also announced it would reverse a 2014 regional haze ruling that was due to close a coal power plant in Wyoming.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.In 2025 Trump declared a National Energy Emergency aimed at bulwarking the coal industry. At the same time, the president has broadly opposed solar and wind power during his administration. Nevertheless, U.S. coal use has been in sharp retreat for almost two decades, accounting for only 8 percent of primary energy production nationwide in 2024, according to the Congressional Research Service. Its use is expected decline further because of increased renewables and natural gas. Wind and solar produced a record 17 percent of U.S. energy in 2025 and are less expensive than fossil fuels. Natural gas, long touted as a “bridge fuel” to a cleaner economy, is also much more commonly used today than coal.Environmental groups criticized Trump’s move. “Propping up coal billionaires with taxpayer money is one more way for the Trump administration to put polluters first and put the rest of us at risk,” said Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the Natural Resources Defense Council, to the Associated Press.Coal fuel is a major producer of greenhouse gas emissions, chiefly carbon dioxide, driving climate change. Its decline has contributed to less severe, although still dangerous, recent projections for future global warming. In February, however, the Trump administration scrapped the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding” that climate change threatened human health. At the time of the February decision, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement that the action would lead to an average of $2,400 in cost savings per car for consumers.Editor’s Note (6/4/26): This story is in development and may be updated.It’s Time to Stand Up for ScienceIf you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.