Global Coal Production Hits Record High Despite Climate Crisis

The expansion of coal power continues, with few countries having concrete plans to phase it out.

Coal-fired power generation has reached an all-time high, with a total installed capacity of 2,126 gigawatts globally, marking an 11% increase since 2015.
China is leading the surge in new coal power plants, even as it simultaneously invests heavily in renewable energy sources.
Despite commitments from over 130 countries to phase out coal, less than 5% of coal companies have set a concrete exit date.
The International Energy Agency and the UN stress that industrial nations must cease coal use soon, with a global phase-out needed by 2040 to meet climate goals.
The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally 1.5 degrees, to mitigate severe climate impacts.