China now uses almost as much coal as rest of the world combined
If you've seen the shocking photos of Beijing's air pollution, this probably won't come as a surprise: China now accounts for 47 percent of the world's coal consumption. That's around 3.8 billion tons of coal a year, for those playing along at home. According to data newly released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country's coal use increased 9 percent in 2011, the 12th year in a row it's gone up.
The increased demand for coal is mostly due to an increased demand for electricity generation, which coal provides relatively cheaply. [Source]
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Mike Gallagher
Freelance writer with a passion for travelling
