Global coal consumption reached an all-time high in 2024, undermining efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and keep global heating within safe limits, according to the latest State of Climate Action report.
While the share of coal in electricity generation has declined due to rapid growth in renewables, overall demand for energy surged, driving total coal use to record levels. The report warns that the world remains far off track in phasing out coal and cutting emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Clea Schumer of the World Resources Institute, which led the report, said: “We are doing the right things — just not fast enough. For the fifth year in a row, coal phaseout efforts are lagging badly.”
To limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, experts say the power sector must move rapidly to clean electricity. “We simply will not limit warming to 1.5°C if coal use keeps breaking records,” Schumer added.
Some nations, including India and the US, continue to expand or support coal production. India recently surpassed 1 billion tonnes of coal output, while Donald Trump has backed fossil fuels and opposed renewable energy incentives in the US.
Despite the bleak findings, the report notes that renewable energy — especially solar — is growing “exponentially,” making it the fastest-growing power source in history. However, the pace of growth must double by 2030 for the world to achieve necessary emission cuts.
