Coal consumption rises to record level worldwide
Despite the climate crisis, coal is still one of the favored energy sources - especially in Asia. Consumption there is increasing immensely, overshadowing the sharp drop in demand in Europe and the USA. The International Energy Agency is therefore reporting record figures.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the climate-damaging consumption of coal has reached a new high worldwide this year. Total consumption rose by 1.4 percent to 8.5 billion tons, the IEA announced. A sharp drop in demand in Europe and the USA was offset by growing consumption in Asia. "Demand in emerging and developing countries, on the other hand, remains very high," said the IEA.
In China alone, 220 million tons more coal were consumed than in the previous year, which corresponds to an increase of 4.9 percent. According to the IEA, an increase of eight percent was recorded in India, while consumption in Indonesia rose by eleven percent.
According to the International Energy Agency, coal consumption fell by 23% in Europe and by 21% in the USA. This is primarily due to weaker industrial activity and the shift away from coal-fired power generation in favor of renewable energies.
Decline forecast for the first time
The IEA expects coal consumption to fall in the coming year. "We expect to see a trend towards falling global demand for coal from 2024," explained the Paris-based agency. Around 2.3 percent decline in the climate-damaging energy source is forecast by 2026. This is the first time ever that the IEA expects coal consumption to fall.
The World Climate Conference in Dubai had decided on the beginning of the end of fossil energy production. After two weeks of negotiations, the almost 200 participating countries agreed for the first time on a text calling for a "transition" away from fossil fuels. However, the clear exit from coal, oil and gas demanded by more than 100 countries is not included.
According to the IEA, coal is still the most important source of energy for power generation as well as for steel and cement production - and the largest man-made source of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. According to the IEA, consumption would actually have to fall much faster in order to meet the targets agreed in the Paris Climate Agreement.
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The USA and Europe, despite their efforts to reduce coal consumption, still see a significant decline in demand compared to the explosive growth in Asia. This shift in coal consumption trends is not overlooked by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Despite the commitments made at the World Climate Conference in Dubai, the IEA acknowledges that coal remains a significant player in the energy industry, particularly for power generation and steel and cement production.
Source: www.ntv.de
