The International Energy Agency (IEA) has said that coal power is on track to hit a new global record this year after an economic rebound that could drive worldwide coal demand to an all-time high in 2022, reports the Guardian. The IEA’s report says that the amount of electricity generated from coal power plants has increased by 9% this year after a surge in fossil fuel demand to fuel the recovery from Covid lockdowns, the paper explains, noting that “the global gas supply crunch…has also helped reignite demand for coal”. It continues: “The agency found that global demand for coal, including cement and steel making, rose by 6% overall this year. Although the total falls short of record levels of demand for the fuel in 2013 and 2014, the IEA warned that without a policy intervention that high could be surpassed next year.”

Guest post from The Guardian