The International Energy Agency (IEA) has forecast that coal demand will reach an all-time high in 2023, rising by 1.4% to exceed 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time.
The IEA also said that, due to the increasing use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, experts expect a 2.3% decline in fossil fuel use by 2026.
According to the IEA, there are significant differences between developed and emerging economies in terms of energy developments in 2023.
In the United States and the European Union, there is likely to be a record decline of around 20%, while demand in emerging and developing economies remains very strong, with an expected increase of 8% in India and 5% in China.
Despite the expected decline, experts believe that coal consumption will remain above 8 billion tonnes per year until 2026.