Washington - President Donald Trump has made reviving the long-struggling US coal mines the bedrock of his administration's energy policy. But new data show market demand for the dirtiest of fossil fuels is plummeting worldwide.
The BP Statistical Review of World Energy released on Tuesday shows global coal production fell by more than 6% last year. That's the largest decline in the history of BP's survey, which the British energy company has issued annually for more than six decades.
It is the second straight year that coal demand has declined. Production at US coal mines fell by 19%. China's coal production fell by nearly 8%.
The numbers reflect the trend of nations shunning coal in favor of cheaper, cleaner ways of producing electricity - chiefly natural gas, wind and solar.
Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter: Fin24’s top stories