Global Coal Use Climbs to All-Time High

Global coal consumption has reached its highest level on record, underscoring the growing gap between climate targets and actual energy use.

According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), worldwide coal demand climbed to approximately 8.85 billion metric tons on an annual basis. Since 2020, global consumption has increased by roughly 1.40 billion tons, reversing expectations that coal demand would steadily decline as renewable energy capacity expanded.

The surge is being driven overwhelmingly by China, which now accounts for about 56% of global coal consumption, or approximately 4.95 billion tons per year. Coal remains central to China’s power generation mix, particularly during periods of peak electricity demand and grid stress.

For comparison, the United States consumes around 410 million tons of coal annually — just about 5% of global demand — highlighting the scale of the divergence between advanced economies and emerging markets.

The IEA continues to project a gradual easing in coal consumption over the coming years, forecasting demand to fall to roughly 8.60 billion tons by 2030. However, previous projections calling for a peak in coal use have repeatedly proven premature.

From an editorial perspective, the significance lies in the persistence of coal despite unprecedented investment in renewable energy, electrification and climate policy. While wind, solar and battery capacity are expanding rapidly, they have not yet displaced coal at the scale required to meet global demand growth.

Coal’s resilience reflects structural realities: energy security concerns, affordability pressures, and the pace of industrialisation in Asia. As historical cycles often show, transitions in primary energy sources tend to unfold over decades — not years.

For now, global coal demand remains high, and the long-promised peak continues to move further into the future.