China's Coal Consumption At New Highs, As Real Estate Crisis Fails To Slow Energy Demands

Global coal consumption reached an all-time high in 2024, climbing to 8.77 billion metric tons as global electricity demand outpaced the expansion of renewable energy. Despite its contribution to global warming, coal remains rooted in energy systems worldwide, and short-term consumption is set to rise. "Coal is often considered a fuel of the past, but global consumption of it has doubled in the past three decades," The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its latest report, revising coal de