A nation must think before it acts.
A decrease in coal consumption in the developed world will be matched by an increase in the developing world, according to major energy outlooks. Between 2015 and 2040, the Energy Information Administration predicts a 90% increase in coal demand in India and 80% in other countries in non-OECD Asia. Africa, the Middle East and South America are also expected to expand coal capacity.
The big picture: As the world experiences one of the hottest summers on record, and despite increasing recognition of the negative effects that greenhouse gases have on earth’s climate, the projected consumption of coal — the most CO2-intensive fossil fuel — is staying surprisingly strong.