The International Energy Agency has announced that global coal consumption is projected to reach a historic peak in 2024, coinciding with a year that is expected to become the hottest in recorded history.
Despite persistent calls to end the use of the most polluting fossil fuel contributing to climate change, the energy watchdog anticipates that worldwide coal demand will achieve record levels for the third consecutive year.
Researchers have emphasized the urgent need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming and prevent devastating effects on the planet and humanity.
Earlier this month, the European Union’s climate monitoring body, Copernicus, indicated that 2024 is “effectively certain” to be the hottest year on record, surpassing the previous high set just last year.
This situation heavily relies on China, which has consumed 30% more coal than all other countries combined over the last 25 years, according to the IEA.
The substantial increase in China’s electricity demand has been the primary factor driving this rise, with over one-third of the coal burned globally being used in the nation’s power plants.
Record Demand from China
While China has aimed to broaden its energy mix, including significant growth in solar and wind energy, the IEA forecasts that Chinese coal demand will still reach 4.9 billion tonnes in 2024, marking another unprecedented high.
The surge in coal consumption in China, along with rising demand in emerging markets like India and Indonesia, has offset a gradual decline in coal use among developed economies.
However, this decline has shown signs of slowing in the European Union and the United States, where coal consumption is projected to decrease by 12% and 5%, respectively, compared to declines of 23% and 17% in 2023.
As Donald Trump is poised to return to the White House—having repeatedly dismissed climate change as a “hoax”—many scientists express concern that a second Trump presidency could undermine the climate commitments of the world’s largest economy.
Coal production has also reached unprecedented heights, surpassing nine billion tonnes for the first time, with leading producers China, India, and Indonesia all reporting new output records, according to the IEA.
The energy watchdog cautioned that the rapid rise of energy-demanding data centers, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, is likely to further escalate power generation needs, particularly in coal-reliant China.
The 2024 report contradicts the IEA’s previous prediction that coal usage would start to decline after reaching its peak in 2023.
During the annual UN climate change conference in Dubai last year, nations committed to moving away from fossil fuels.
However, this year’s follow-up meeting ended in discord, with experts warning that failing to reaffirm the critical commitments made at COP29 in Azerbaijan could jeopardize global efforts to combat climate change.
Established after the 1973 oil crisis, the IEA positions itself as “the world’s leading energy authority.”
