Global use of coal hit record high in 2024, imperilling attempts to achieve net zero

Coal use hit a record high last year despite efforts to switch to clean energy, imperilling the world's attempts to rein in global heating.

- Fiona Harvey Environment editor

The share of coal in electricity generation dropped as renewable energy surged ahead. But the general increase in power demand meant that more coal was used overall, according to the annual State of Climate Action report, published today.

The report paints a grim picture of the world's chances of avoiding increasingly severe effects from the climate crisis. Countries are falling behind the targets they have set for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which have continued to rise, albeit at a lower rate than before.

Clea Schumer, a research associate at the World Resources Institute (WRI) thinktank, which led the report, said: “There’s no doubt we are largely doing the right things. We are just not moving fast enough. One of the most concerning findings from our assessment is that for the fifth report in our series in a row, efforts to phase out coal are well off track.”

If the world is to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, in order to limit global heating to 1.5C above preindustrial levels as set out in the Paris climate agreement, then more sectors must use electricity instead of oil, gas or other fossil fuels.