Global use of coal hit a record high in 2024, despite growing use of renewable energy sources. A new report found that coal’s share of total power generation was falling, but increasing electricity demand meant that the absolute quantity used increased.
Most countries have pledged to wean themselves off coal, but it is cheap even if it is polluting. India recently marked passing 1 billion tonnes of coal production this year, while US President Donald Trump has backed coal and oil. South Africa, on the other hand, announced a plan to reduce its dependency on coal from 58% of its energy mix now to 29% by 2039, in particular planning to boost spending on nuclear power.
Overall, the World Resources Institute report found that the pace and scale of climate action fell far short of goals set out in the Paris Agreement: While some of the 45 indicators WRI assessed showed promise — electric vehicle sales have surged, solar and wind’s share of electricity generation has more than tripled, and clean energy investment has more than doubled relative to fossil fuel financing — most indicators are well off track.
