Investments in coal have reached a 14-year high, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest World Energy Investment report.
The study projects that investments in the fossil fuel are on course to top US$180bn by the end of 2026, the highest figure since 2012.
These findings speak to an uncomfortable truth present in the energy sector today, that despite all the recent progress on renewable energy, hydrocarbons still account for a huge proportion of power generation the world over.
This figure of US$180bn represents a 4% increase from 2025, while the main economies responsible for the spike are China and India.
The IEA says that more than 65% of all investments in coal come from China, with funding for steam coal production alone set to top US$100bn this year. For context, that is double what it was a decade ago.
