Uzbekistan's Gas Shortage Forces Citizens to Burn Alternative Fuels

In 2021, Uzbekistan’s energy minister said the country produces enough natural gas to meet domestic demand three times over. But production in the gas-rich nation has been dropping for half a decade, and the reality is this: Many Uzbeks rely on coal, firewood, and animal manure to heat their homes and cook their meals, and many of the power plants feeding the electrical grid are fueled by coal. Experts and activists have sounded the alarm about the effects on the environment: The most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, coal is a major contributor…