Clean energy + batteries seem to be eating that up rapidly in places where they invest in that kind of thing. Simply ramp up investments there and this problem can be solved.

Even the US is doing this. Meanwhile, force remaining plants to install filters and fine them appropriately for killing their neighbors every month they don't do this. Of course, there's no such thing as cheap coal when you factor that in. Most of this stuff is already unsustainable from an economic point of view. That's why plants are shutting down, plans for new ones are getting shelved, etc.

Coal without subsidies and government protection, is not going to last long.

I think this is actually a great opportunity to green power generation. Build a solar and wind infrastructure. This is in Florida so they have plenty of sun all year round. Its not an overnight fix and will of course require large amounts of money but it can be the beginning of something big. In addition, the US is beginning to face a clean water crisis, and desalination could be a fix. Take the left over salt and send it to the power plants to use for molten salt power storage. Build turbines off shore along the coasts. The US needs another 'man on the moon' mission to unite us, this could be it. Maybe I am naive but all things are impossible until someone does it.

Nuclear

In Sweden and Germany there are heat-plants, which for example burn garbage instead of sending it to a dump.

If the garbage is clean enough, and doesn't contain things like heavy-metals, the process can be surprisingly clean due to the very high temperatures of combustion and exhaust filtering used.

He doesn’t have to propose anything, but can just describe what actually replaced coal in Berlin: gas, trash, and wind energy.

Residential heating was converted to natural gas and “remote heat” with trash + gas power stations that circulate waste heat to surrounding neighborhoods. With sorting and smoke filters, these plants emit nothing but CO2 that poses no direct threat to those nearby.

Plus, old coal plants turned into temples of hedonism like Berghain, producing rather different types of power and heat.

Electric heat pumps operate at > 100% efficiency, depending on ambient temperature. Even if your coal power plant was still coal, switching everyone to electric heat pumps would reduce smog and CO2.