A China Environmental Health Project Research Brief Coal Mining and Environmental Health in China

MAGNITUDE OF COAL PRODUCTION Coal accounts for approximately 74 percent of China’s primary energy consumption. China consumes more coal than Europe, Japan and the United States combined, which make up 40 percent of the world’s total. [1] China’s coal use continues to grow every year, and it is estimated that 90 percent of the rise in world coal consumption is from China. [2] Despite investments into other forms of energy, coal is still likely to occupy about 70 percent of China’s energy consumption over the next 20 years. [3]