Coal Demand to Begin Gradual Decline Through 2030, IEA Says

Global coal use has hit a ceiling and is set to begin a slow decline over the next five years as renewables and liquefied natural gas gain ground, the International Energy Agency said.

Demand is expected to edge up 0.5% this year to a record 8,845 million tons before slipping 3% by 2030, according to the IEA’s annual coal report published Wednesday.

Analysts have long struggled to call peak coal, given stubbornly strong consumption in China and India even as advanced economies shutter mines and ramp up solar and wind. The IEA underscores the uncertainty, warning that its five-year outlook ...