Global coal use at an all-time high in 2024

A new report from the climate change organisation Systems Change Lab – backed by the World Resources Institute and the Bezos Earth Fund – warns that global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C are falling short. It also found that all major sectors, including transport, energy and agriculture, are off track to meet 2030 targets.

According to the Paris Agreement, global emissions need to be reduced by 43% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Yet, the report has found that global greenhouse gas emissions have increased by roughly 0.65 GtCO2e/y since 2000.

Further data from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Energy Review 2025 shows energy-related CO2 emissions also increased in 2024, largely due to rising coal use in China, India and Southeast Asia.

While coal’s share of global electricity generation has declined slightly – from 37% in 2019 to 34% in 2024 – its absolute use remains high. The report links increased coal consumption in China and India to extreme heatwaves, which have driven up electricity demand for cooling.