US coal 'biggest contributor by far' to rise in global emissions
A report from the Energy Institute indicates that US coal consumption rose by 10% in 2025, significantly contributing to a global increase in CO2 emissions. The surge is largely attributed to the rising power demands of data centers supporting AI development.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing conflict between the energy-intensive requirements of the AI industry and global climate change mitigation goals.
A DRAMATIC increase in US coal consumption was “by far the biggest contributor” to the overall increase in global CO 2 emissions last year, a report has revealed.
According to the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy, US coal consumption increased by 10% in 2025, compared to a 0.7% rise globally. The review’s chief Selene Law told reporters last week that the growth in US coal “is the main reason why we have seen global CO 2 emissions rise this year. In fact, the US is by far the biggest contributor to this.”
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