China and India See First Coal Decline in Half a Century as Renewables Surge

China’s coal-fired power fell 1.6% and India’s by 3% last year—the first declines in both since the 1970s—thanks to a record surge in solar and wind that met rising demand. China added over 300 GW of solar and 100 GW of wind, while India added 35 GW solar, 6 GW wind and 3.5 GW hydro. Together they drove more than 90% of the rise in global carbon emissions from 2015 to 2024, so a sustained fall in coal use could help curb global emissions, though weather and demand variability could reverse gains; the IEA cautions coal may stay near peak until 2027 due to gas prices and other pressures.