Coal demand is increasing

Even after the signing of the Paris climate agreement in late 2015, global coal demand rose for the first time in two years in 2017, according to the Paris International Energy Agency during its annual World Energy Outlook week.

China consumes over 50% of the world's coal, while India uses about 12%. In contrast, the United States consumes 9% of the world's coal, while Europe consumes 8%.

In fact, coal is the cornerstone of urbanization, which is becoming increasingly important as the world's cities expand by 75 million people a year.

Asia's giants are keen to use more natural gas, but this does not necessarily mean a significant drop in coal demand. Many of these countries are so energy-deprived that all sources are needed.

Moreover, as more gas is used, coal will become cheaper, thus encouraging use. This practical problem of "using less fossil fuels will just make them cheaper and more attractive to use" is unlikely to ever be solved by a fossil fuel business. Governments in developing countries believe that saving costs such as coal is especially important because citizens have much less opportunity to consume fuel at higher prices.