Coal and lignite production

In 2025, global coal production remained stable, following stagnating coal consumption.

Global coal and lignite production remained stable in 2025, as the growth in production in China and the United States was partly counterbalanced by a lower production in Europe, Australia, India, Indonesia and Russia.
Coal production in China, which accounted for 51% of the global coal production in 2025, increased by 1% in 2025, in line with its 2010-2019 and 2024 growth rates. Moderate domestic demand, abundant stockpiles and lower coal import prices contributed to limiting the growth in China’s production. Meanwhile, US coal production rebounded by 4% in 2025 after its 11% fall in 2024 – in line with new policies to boost coal production, encourage the domestic use of coal and increase US coal exports.

On the contrary, coal production declined by 1% in both India and Indonesia. In addition, lower coal export prices and port and rail disruptions caused by unusually wet weather conditions reduced coal production and transportation on the east coast of Australia, leading to a nearly 3% cut in Australia’s coal production in 2025. Production fell by 12% in Colombia and declined by 6% in Europe (mainly in Germany, Türkiye and Poland). It remained stable in Russia and South Africa.