Is this the beginning of the end for coal?

Canada has joined a growing list of countries phasing out the most polluting fossil fuel and global demand has fallen. Is this the start of a low-carbon energy era or just a blip in coal’s dominance?

This week Canada joined the growing list of major developed countries saying they will phase out coal power.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of global demand for coal falling last year for the first time in nearly two decades, a development that could presage a new era of lower-carbon energy generation – or merely a blip in the long-term dominance of the highly polluting fuel.

Related: China's coal peak hailed as turning point in climate change battle

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