After reaching an all-time high this year, global coal demand is expected to decline by 2026, according to the latest edition of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) annual coal market report - the first time the report has predicted a decline in global coal consumption over the forecast period.  After coal 2023 Global coal demand is expected to grow by 1.4 % in 2023, exceeding 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time. The global increase masks large regional disparities. Consumption is set to decline sharply in most advanced economies in 2023, including record declines in the European Union and the United States, each by around 20 %. Demand in emerging and developing economies, meanwhile, remains very strong, growing by 8 % in India and 5 % in China in 2023, driven by rising electricity demand and weak hydropower output.