Conclusions and summary for policymakers

The world has relied upon coal for a significant portion of its primary energy production since the Industrial Revolution. Major emerging, industrialised, and transitional economies—and hence the global economy—will continue to benefit from and be dependent on coal energy resources for the foreseeable future. Today, coal supplies 25% of global primary energy, 40% of global electricity, and almost 70% of the world’s steel and aluminum. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that emerging economies will see energy demand grow 93% by 2030, driven largely by demand growth in China and India, and coal is expected to be the leading fuel to meet this growing demand (IEA, 2009).

Sustainable Development Goals:

Affordable and Clean Energy