Watch part two

This week, Inside USA travels to the coal mines of Illinois to look at America's dependence on coal, and the politics behind the fossil fuel.
 
Just below the surface of this election campaign runs a deep seam of coal. Half of America's electricity is generated by coal, producing 40 per cent of the country's greenhouse gases. 

Leading climate scientists have called for a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, saying that addressing global warming means addressing America's dependence on coal.

The coal industry has fired back, launching a massive public relations campaign to re-brand this historically dirty fuel as "clean coal".

And the presidential candidates? On paper, both have ambitious plans to confront climate change, while on the campaign trail, both profess their loyalty to the coal industry – especially in key swing states.

This episode of Inside USA aired from Friday, August 08, 2008.