No. This week’s number is not the soaring oil prices. But it is related. While everybody is looking with disbelieve at oil prices that are now traded at more than 125 dollars the barrel, something similar is happening to an equally important fossil fuel ; coal. But this shouldn’t come as a shock. The once abundant and reliable source of energy is in short supply and under high demand – especially due to the growing economies of China and India. The last five months coal-prices have risen by 50% and if you think that was bad just wait. It’ll get worse. India alone is expecting for its current annual demand of 460 million metric tons to quadruple by 2031. Very soon, concerns over security of supply could become a serious competitor to climate change concerns.