This highly polluting energy reached a consumption record this year according to the annual report of the International Energy Agency.
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There is both a shift and a break in the coal consumption circuit. Twenty years ago, Europe and the United States were unconditional fans of coal. Today it is China, India and Southeast Asia. There are therefore two worlds facing each other today and the gap is widening in dependence on coal. This situation risks increasing the already strong divergences around climate objectives.
This year, emerging countries accounted for two-thirds of total demand. This is an increase of 5% for China, 8% for India, and 11% for Indonesia. This coal made it possible to produce electricity which was in high demand this year, but also steel and cement, according to the International Energy Agency.
In this world of coal, China remains the locomotive. It alone is responsible for half of consumption. Europe has reduced its demand by 20%. Same decline for the United States. Coal remains the most polluting energy. It is responsible for 41% of CO2 emissions.
The endless reign of coal?
The International Energy Agency indicates that we are witnessing a peak in consumption and that the keystone remains China since it is the largest consumer and is developing renewable energies by leaps and bounds. The Energy Agency estimates that, in two years, China should have made a shift. It should reduce its coal consumption by more than 2% in favor of wind or solar energy.
We are therefore moving towards a trio of Europe, the United States and China which is switching to renewable or nuclear power, alongside India and Indonesia which are expected to significantly increase their coal consumption. Which means that the drop, if confirmed, will be limited. More should be done to hope to meet the commitments of the Paris agreement, signed eight years ago. However, two years ago, during COP26, coal was the energy to be destroyed.