In 2023, global coal consumption slowed down (+2.2%), rising rapidly in China and India but falling again in OECD countries.

The growth in global coal consumption slowed down to +2.2% in 2023 (from over 6% in 2022) but remained much faster than over the 2010-2019 period. In line with historical trends, coal consumption continued to rise in non-OECD countries, which accounted for 86% of the global coal demand. Economic growth, warmer temperatures raising electricity demand for cooling, and a lower hydropower generation contributed to raise coal demand in China (+6.9%), India (+9.9%) and Vietnam (+25%), with China and India jointly accounting for 71% of the global coal consumption. It remained stable in Russia.
On the contrary, coal consumption continued to fall in OECD countries, due a slow economic growth, reduced coal demand from industry, lower electricity demand, and the competition of alternative fuels in the power sector. Coal-to-gas switch and higher renewable production reduced US coal consumption by 18%. In the EU, Japan and South Korea, higher nuclear and renewable power generation contributed to cut coal consumption (-22% in the EU, -8.9% in Japan and -2.8% in Korea). It also declined in Australia (over higher renewable power generation) and in South Africa (due to persistent supply issues).