This will be a massive blow to the climate alarmist’s agenda.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Tuesday that aim to boost coal production in his latest action that runs counter to global efforts to curb carbon emissions.

Coal-burning plants generate less than 20% of U.S. electricity, a drop from 50% in 2000, according to the Energy Information Administration, as fracking and other drilling techniques have hiked production of natural gas. Growth in solar and wind power has also cut coal use.

“We’re bringing back an industry that was abandoned,” Trump said at the White House, standing in front of about three dozen mostly male coal miners wearing hard hats.

“We’re going to put the miners back to work,” Trump said about a workforce that has sunk to about 40,000 from 70,000 ten years ago.

Our electricity needs are growing exponentially, especially with the energy needs of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency data centers. The move, however, may be short lived due to the availability of natural gas and nuclear power. None the less, coal could play a role in the transition to rebuilding the U.S.’s energy infrastructure.

Not surprisingly, environmentalists are not happy:

Environmental groups slammed Trump’s coal plan. “Coal plants are old and dirty, uncompetitive and unreliable,” said Kit Kennedy, managing director for Power at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“The Trump administration is stuck in the past, trying to make utility customers pay more for yesterday’s energy. Instead, it should be doing all it can to build the electricity grid of the future.”