Coal plays a huge role in global electricity generation, but has a significant impact on the environment. Boy_anupong | Moment | Getty Images From Pennsylvania to the north of England, coal mines helped to power the Industrial Revolution, turbocharging the economic growth of countries around the world. Today, however, the production and use of coal has become a thorny issue, with critics slamming the fossil fuel's huge impact on the environment. But the global picture is a complex one.