China is burning nearly as much coal as the rest of the world combined

Here's the dirty secret about coal: Even as the U.S. moves way from it in a push toward cleaner energy sources, the rest of the world is not necessarily following suit. This is particularly the case in rapidly-developing nations, where coal usage is skyrocketing.

To wit, a report out Tuesday from the Energy Information Administration notes that coal consumption and production in China has more than doubled in the past decade, such that the nation now burns almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. --Jon Terbush

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up