Action needed to curb record coal demand – IEA

Report warns of gap between ambition and action as rising coal power generation in Asia threatens net-zero goals

Global coal demand could hit record levels in 2022 and remain at those levels for another two years, highlighting the need for “fast and strong policy action” to transition away from the fossil fuel, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Coal-fired power generation this year is expected to rise by 9pc year-on-year to a record high of 10,350 TWh, the IEA says in its Coal 2021 report. The increase has been driven by this year’s rapid economic rebound, which has increased electricity demand at a faster rate than renewables deployment. At the same time, spiking natural gas prices have made coal more competitive as a generation fuel in some EU markets, even with sharply higher carb