History of Coal in Timeline

Coal is a sedimentary rock, primarily carbon, formed from decayed plant matter (peat) subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years. A fossil fuel, it originates from ancient coal forests, vast wetlands that thrived during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. Coal contains varying amounts of hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen alongside carbon. It is found in rock strata called coal seams.

1947: Peak Number of Coal Miners in Britain

In 1947, there were approximately 750,000 miners in Britain.

1972: Initial Plans for Carbon Capture and Storage

Between 1972 and 2017, plans were initiated to add Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to enough coal and gas power plants to sequester 161 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

2000: Coal Use in Britain During the Bronze Age

Around 2000 BC, outcrop coal was used in Britain during the Bronze Age, where it formed part of funeral pyres.

2013: Call to Leave Coal Reserves in the Ground

In 2013, the head of the UN climate agency advised that most of the world's coal reserves should be left in the ground to avoid catastrophic global warming.

2014: Sulfur Dioxide Release from Coal Burning

In 2014, approximately 100 Tg/S of sulfur dioxide (SO2) was released, over half of which was from burning coal, contributing to acid rain.

2015: Closure of Last Deep Coal Mine in the UK

In 2015, the last deep coal mine in the UK was closed.

2016: World Gross Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal Usage

In 2016, world gross carbon dioxide emissions from coal usage were 14.5 gigatonnes.

2017: Coal Use and Infant Mortality

A 2017 study found that during the period 1851–1860 in Britain, a one standard deviation increase in coal use raised infant mortality by 6–8%.

2017: Carbon Capture and Storage Plans

Between 1972 and 2017, plans were made to add Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to enough coal and gas power plants to sequester 161 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

2017: Coal Supplied a Significant Portion of World Energy

In 2017, 27.6% of world energy was supplied by coal, with Asia using almost three-quarters of it.

2017: Coal's Share of Global Electricity

In 2017, 38% of the world's electricity came from coal, the same percentage as 30 years previously.

2017: Coal Subsidies in Kazakhstan

In 2017, coal in Kazakhstan was the main recipient of coal consumption subsidies totalling US$2 billion.

2017: Coal Mining Related Deaths in China

In 2017, there were 375 coal mining related deaths in China.

2018: Government Funding for New Coal Power Plants

As of 2018, government funding for new coal power plants was supplied by Exim Bank of China, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Indian public sector banks.

2018: Underground Mines Provide Half of Coal Production

As of 2018, just over half of the approximately 8,000 Mt of coal produced annually is from underground mines.

2018: Investment in Coal Supply

In 2018, US$80 billion was invested in coal supply, primarily for sustaining production levels rather than opening new mines.

2018: Coal-Fired Plants' Contribution to CO2 Emissions

In 2018, coal-fired power plants were the single largest contributor to the growth in global CO2 emissions, comprising 40% of total fossil fuel emissions.

2018: Global Installed Coal Capacity

In 2018, global installed coal capacity was 2TW (of which 1TW was in China), representing 30% of total electricity generation capacity.

2019: Government Support for Coal Production

As of 2019, G20 countries provide at least US$63.9 billion of government support per year for the production of coal, including coal-fired power.

2019: Criticism of Australia's emissions

In 2019, Pacific Island nations like Vanuatu and Fiji criticized Australia for not reducing emissions quickly enough, highlighting worries about coastal flooding and erosion.

2020: Call to Halve Coal Use

From 2020 to 2030, coal use needs to halve to meet the Paris Agreement target of keeping global warming below 2 °C (3.6 °F).

2020: China Leading Coal Consumption and Production

In 2020, China was the largest consumer and importer of coal, accounting for almost half the world's annual coal production.

2020: Coal Supplies a Quarter of World's Primary Energy

In 2020, coal supplied approximately a quarter of the world's primary energy and over a third of the world's electricity.

2020: Significant Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal Burning

In 2020, fourteen billion tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted from burning coal, which is 40% of total fossil fuel emissions and over 25% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations Secretary General also asked governments to stop building new coal plants by 2020.

2020: EU Ban on State Aid to New Coal-Fired Plants

In the EU, state aid to new coal-fired plants is banned from 2020.

May 2021: G7 Agreement on Coal Power Support

In May 2021, G7 members reached an agreement to cease new direct governmental support for international coal power generation.

2021: Potential Carbon Bubble Due to New Coal Plants

As of 2021, the building or planning of new coal plants by state-owned electricity utilities may be helping to cause a carbon bubble which could cause financial instability if it bursts.

2021: Failure of Most Carbon Capture Plans

By 2021, 98% of plans to add Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to coal and gas power plants between 1972 and 2017 had failed.

2021: Subsidies for Coal

In 2021, subsidies for coal were estimated at US$19 billion, not including electricity subsidies, and are expected to rise in 2022.

2022: Coal Use for Electricity Generation

In 2022, 68% of global coal use was for electricity generation.

2022: China's Dominant Coal Consumption

In 2022, China used 4520 Mt of coal, comprising more than half of global coal consumption.

2022: Indonesia Largest Exporter of Coal

In 2022, Indonesia was the largest exporter of coal by volume, with 471 Mt and a 34% share of global exports.

2022: High Global Coal Use

In 2022, global coal use reached 8.3 billion tonnes.

2022: Expected Rise in Coal Subsidies

Subsidies for coal in 2021 are expected to rise in 2022.

2023: Global Coal Use Remains at Record Levels

In 2023, global coal use is set to remain at record levels.

2023: Agreement on Phasing Down Unabated Coal Use

In the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, an agreement was reached to phase down unabated coal use, but the term "abated" was not defined, leading to criticism.

2023: Global Coal Exports Reach All-Time High

Preliminary analysis by the International Energy Agency indicates that global coal exports reached an all-time high in 2023.

2024: Limited Operation of Carbon Capture and Storage

As of 2024, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is in operation at only four coal power plants and one gas power plant worldwide.

2025: EU Ban on State Aid to Existing Coal-Fired Plants

In the EU, state aid to existing coal-fired plants is banned from 2025.

2026: Projected Decline in Global Coal Trade

Through to 2026, the International Energy Agency expects global coal trade to decline by about 12%, driven by growing domestic production in coal-intensive economies and coal phase-out plans.