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Delhi Extends Winter Break for Schools, Withdraws Notice Hours Later

Delhi’s Directorate of Education said that further orders regarding winter break may be issued in due course….reports Asian Lite News

Hours after the issuance, the Delhi government retracted an order pertaining to the extension of winter vacation in schools within the national capital.

The Department of Education clarified that the earlier order, which extended the winter break, was mistakenly issued. It has been immediately withdrawn, and a decision regarding the matter will be made tomorrow morning.

Delhi’s Directorate of Education said that further orders regarding winter break may be issued in due course.

“Order No.DE.23(3)/Sch.Br./2024/18 dated: January 6, 2024, regarding extension of Winter Vacation stands withdrawn with immediate effect. Further orders in this regard may be issued in due course,” the updated order read.

The Delhi government, in the previous order, extended the winter break till January 10 in all the government-aided and unaided recognised private schools of the national capital territory (NCT) in light of ‘extreme cold waves and IMD’s yellow alert’.

Meanwhile, due to persistent unavailability of sunlight, a cold day to severe cold day was witnessed in some parts of Delhi, East Rajasthan, northwest Rajasthan, Haryana and in isolated pockets over Punjab with maximum temperatures over North India’s plains ranging from 12-18 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperatures recorded at various stations displayed a significant departure from the normal range for this time of year.

Fog: Trains Running Late

As many as 20 trains are expected to arrive late in the national capital on Monday due to fog in several parts of the country, the railway officials said.

As per the Northern Railways, at least four trains are running late by about 6 hours, namely Katihar-Amritsar Express, Khajuarao-Kurukshetra Express, Jammutawi-Ajmer Express and Ajmer-Katra Pooja Express.

Three trains including Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, Ambedkarnagar-Katra Express and Chennai-New Delhi GT are likely to arrive late by around 2 hours while Manikpur-Nizamuddin Express is expected to arrive almost 4 hours late, the railway officials said.

The officials further stated that as many as 12 trains are running late by around 1-1.30 hours including Kanpur-New Delhi Shramshakti, Saharsa-New Delhi Vaishali Express, Banglore-Nizamuddin, Bhubneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Prayagraj-New Delhi Express, Rajendranagar-New Delhi Express, Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Express, Amritsar-Mumbai Express, Hyderabad-New Delhi Express and Chennai-New Delhi GT.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), shallow to moderate fog was experienced in isolated pockets over Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha earlier in the day.

The visibility recorded was below 500 metres in several parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Further, the IMD said that conditions of very dense fog are observed over isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar while dense fog is expected over isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh.

In view of the prevailing weather conditions in Chandigarh, the state education department announced that there will be no classes, in physical mode, up to class 8 in any government, government-aided and recognised private schools of UT Chandigarh for the next six days, that is from January 8, 2024, to January 13, 2024.

The official order further stated that the schools may organise online classes for their students of these classes.

Also, several parts of Delhi witnessed thin fog as cold weather conditions intensified in the national capital.

A layer of fog was seen across AIIMS, and Barapullah Flyover areas in Delhi earlier in the day.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality in the national capital continues to be in the very poor category with the overall Air Quality Index recorded above 300.

Dense fog was seen in Bihar’s Patna. A thin layer of fog was also seen on Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir amid the prevailing weather conditions. (ANI)

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Environment

Delhi shivers in biting cold as temperature dips further

The IMD also issued a health advisory to the public warning against lung-related health impacts due to dense fog and cold wave…reports Asian Lite News

The cold wave continues to tightened its grip over Delhi-NCR with the minimum temperature recorded at 7.3 degrees on Thursday morning, as per India Meteorological Department data.

The maximum temperature is expected to be around 15 degrees in the national capital today and the fog conditions are likely to decrease in the next two days, the IMD said.

While IMD said that the cold wave is likely to persist for the next 2-3 days in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

As per IMD data, fog conditions were observed over Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, and Bihar and dense fog prevailed over Madhya Pradesh and Tripura while the Jammu division experienced moderate fog conditions.

The air quality in several parts of Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

According to the CPCB data, the Air Quality Index was recorded at 379 in RK Puram on Thursday morning, 312 in Lodhi Road, 377 ITO area and 387 in the IGI Airport area.

As per IMD, cold day to severe cold day conditions are likely to continue over some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during the next two days and decrease thereafter.

Also, IMD said that dense to very dense fog is likely to continue over some parts of the plains of Northwest and East India during the next two days and gradually decrease thereafter.

A rise by 2-3 degrees in minimum temperatures is likely over many parts of Central and East India during the next 3 days and no significant change thereafter, the IMD said.

The IMD also issued a health advisory to the public warning against lung-related health impacts due to dense fog and cold wave.

“Dense fog contains particulate matter and other pollutants and in case exposed it gets lodged in the lungs, clogging them and decreasing their functional capacity which increases episodes of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath,” the IMD said.

Warning against eye irritation, IMD said that pollutants in the air if exposed may tend to irritate the membranes of the eye causing various infections leading to redness or swelling of the eye. (ANI)

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Environment Environment and WIldlife India News

Kashmir Gripped by Harsh Winter Chill

Demands for potable water have started pouring in from places otherwise believed to be sufficiently provided through water supply schemes by the Jal Shakti department….reports Asian Lite News

Intense dry cold wave continued in Kashmir on Wednesday as most water bodies froze in part recording alarmingly low discharge.

Kashmir is reeling under intense dry cold wave as Dal, Nigeen, Wullar and all other lakes, streams and rivers froze in parts while the water level in these dropped alarmingly low due to very scant snowfall and that too only in the mountains so far this season.

Demands for potable water have started pouring in from places otherwise believed to be sufficiently provided through water supply schemes by the Jal Shakti department.

Weather office has forecast cloudy weather from January 4 to January 6, adding that this is unlikely to result in rain/snowfall in the plains.

Srinagar city had minus 4.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday as the minimum temperature while Gulmarg and Pahalgam had minus 3.8 and minus 6.6 respectively.

In Ladakh region, Leh town had minus 15.2, Kargil minus 12.4 and Drass minus 14 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu city had 7, Katra 4.4, Batote 2.6, Bhaderwah 0.3 and Banihal minus 1.6.

Meanwhile, with a drop in the maximum temperature, the Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir experienced extreme cold conditions on New Year’s Day. The visibility in the area was near zero due to thick fog on Monday evening.

The fog in the area was caused by a change in the wind pattern from dry, cold north-westerly to moisture-laden easterly due to a weak western disturbance.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley witnessed a bone-chilling first day of the year as the minimum temperature dropped several degrees below freezing point in many areas on Monday.

The minimum temperature in the summer capital of Srinagar dropped to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius in the morning, a weather official said.

As Kashmir grapples with the extreme cold, its impact on daily life and infrastructure is palpable.

The freezing temperatures have made daily activities a challenge for residents.

“The temperature in Jammu and Kashmir was minus 5.4 at night. Wherever we pour water, it freezes. People are coming in large numbers to enjoy the weather. Yesterday, there was a big celebration in front of Lal Chowk. We pray that if there is snowfall, then the cold will subside a little because our children and elders have fallen ill,” a local in Srinagar said while speaking to ANI.

Dal Lake and other water bodies, which attract tourists and locals for rides, have frozen. (IANS/ANI)

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Death Toll Rises to 64 in Japan Earthquake Series

Local media reports showed that the water supply has been cut in a total of 16 cities and towns in the quake-hit Noto region…reports Asian Lite News

Amid continued aftershocks and reports of additional damages, the death toll due to a series of powerful earthquakes that struck the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa earlier this week, increased to 64 on Wednesday, with search and rescue efforts currently underway.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the Noto Peninsula at 10:54 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday at a depth of 10 km, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Tuesday at at 5:13 p.m, the JMA said a 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the Noto Peninsula at 5:13 p.m. local time on Tuesday at a depth of 10 km, measuring upper 5.

Since the massive earthquakes, with the strongest one measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, occurred on Monday, the region has witnessed at least 155 temblors.

The JMA has also lifted all tsunami advisories along the Sea of Japan following the quake, but weather officials warned that strong aftershocks may occur in the week, especially over the next two to three days.

Meanwhile, a total of 57,360 people evacuated in 955 locations across quake-affected Ishikawa and Niigata prefectures, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told mediapersons.

Local media reports showed that the water supply has been cut in a total of 16 cities and towns in the quake-hit Noto region.

Approximately 1,000 Self-Defense Force officers have arrived at the disaster area to carry out rescue operations.

The JMA said the earthquake, which measured the country’s maximum seismic intensity of 7, recorded a maximum three-component vector sum peak ground acceleration of 28,266 gals.

The figure is comparable to the 29,334 gals recorded in Kuriyama city, Miyagi prefecture, which also experienced a top-intensity quake during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

It is generally assumed that the greater the acceleration, the larger the shaking and damage, but other factors, such as the duration of the shaking, also play a role, said the JMA.

Injuries were reported in the prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata, Fukui, Toyama, and Gifu.

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China’s Air Quality Declines, First Time in Decade

PM2.5 particles, if inhaled, can have serious health risks, linked to premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease…reports Asian Lite News

China’s air pollution worsened in 2023 for the first time in a decade. This is the first year since 2013 that China’s national average PM2.5 level has increased year-on-year, a report by research organisation the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed.

“2023 is the first year that China’s national average PM2.5 level has increased year-on-year since the beginning of China’s “war on pollution” in 2013. 80 per cent of the provincial capitals, including Beijing, have seen PM2.5 level increase on year,” the report stated.

PM2.5 particles, if inhaled, can have serious health risks, linked to premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease, as well as a host of breathing and other health issues, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The CREA based its findings on Chinese government data and a machine-learning algorithm that distinguished between the impact of weather and human emissions. CREA said that the overall increase in human-caused emissions, in addition to unfavorable weather conditions, has pushed the pollution level higher.

China’s air quality often remains below World Health Organization standards.

According to the report, nearly half of the capital cities that have not met the PM2.5 standard have improved air quality compared to the previous year, while all cities that comply with the standard have seen increases.

The rebound in pollution levels was due to both increases in emissions and more unfavourable weather conditions in 2023, compared with the previous year. This is seen using CREA’s deweathering algorithm, which disaggregates the impact of changes in weather conditions and changes in emissions.

The largest relative increases in PM2.5 pollution levels attributed to increases in emissions were in Lhasa (in Tibet), Tianjin and Jinan (in Shandong), at 18.2 per cent, 15.5 per cent and 11.7 per cent in the year, respectively.

The overall increase in human-caused emissions has pushed the pollution level higher, in addition to unfavourable weather conditions, the report said.

Coal production and thermal power production in areas where the PM2.5 standard was not met have increased by 4.4 per cent and 4.3 per cent, respectively, per year, indicating a larger use of fossil energy. Similar increases were also seen in the oil and metal industries. (ANI)

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China Earthquake Rescue Ends; Focus Shifts to Recovery

The devastating Jishishan earthquake that rattled Northwest China overnight has led to a total of 131 fatalities, including 113 in Gansu Province and 18 in Qinghai Province…reports Asian Lite News

Rescue work in China after a devastating earthquake is drawing to an end and the focus of authorities has shifted to post-disaster management in the affected region including the treatment of injured and resettlement of displaced people, The Global Times reported on Wednesday.

The devastating Jishishan earthquake that rattled Northwest China overnight has led to a total of 131 fatalities, including 113 in Gansu Province and 18 in Qinghai Province. Nearly 1,000 people are reported injured, while 16 remain missing.

The Global Times reported quoting Gansu officials that more than 87,000 people were evacuated and moved to safe places, nearly 15000 houses collapsed and 207000 more were damaged after the quake, affecting 145,736 people.

According to the latest data, a total of 78 trapped individuals have been rescued, with 6,653 people evacuated as of 6:00 am on Wednesday. Additionally, 360 tents have been set up, 683 hazardous areas have been cleared, and 47 tons of relief supplies have arrived at the disaster-stricken sites.

After 10 hours of nonstop efforts, all damaged roads and highways leading to the disaster area, especially toward the epicentre, have been cleared and reopened, including all 24 severely damaged rural roads, so that relief and supply vehicles were able to access impacted communities, the Gansu transport bureau said at the press conference.

All routes within the Lanzhou Railway Bureau, which had been delayed significantly due to impacts of the earthquake, have also resumed normal operations on Wednesday morning.

The damaged main power grid circuits in the earthquake-stricken area of Gansu and Qinghai have also been fully restored as of Tuesday evening, according to the State Grid Gansu Electric Power Company, Global Times reported.

A total of 423 aftershocks have been recorded over the one-and-a-half days since the initial impact, including 10 aftershocks measuring 3.0 magnitude or higher.

The strong earthquake triggered various secondary disasters. In Minhe county, Qinghai, which borders the epicenter Jishishan county, two villages experienced moving sand shortly after the earthquake. A significant number of houses were buried and washed away by mudslides, resulting in 20 individuals going missing. Following the incident, the Qinghai Provincial Fire Rescue Team swiftly organized overnight rescue operations.

The houses of 36 families, totaling 177 villagers, were destroyed by rushing sand in Jintian village, and 13 individuals are still missing. A firefighter on-site told the Global Times that after overnight search and rescue efforts, as of Wednesday morning, the bodies of four deceased have been discovered.

“The entire area is now covered with a thick layer of wet, thick and adhesive sludge. Rescue personnel told us that it’s so heavy and dense that it cannot be dug manually and requires heavy machinery for removal,” reporters from China Central Television said in a video shot from an impacted village.

Three excavators, brought in urgently, have been operating continuously, the CCTV report showed. “Shortly after the earthquake, waves of thick slurry, rising up to three meters high, surged and inundated the villages,” the reporter said in the video, The Global Times reported. (ANI)

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Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc in South Tamil Nadu

Floods in various parts of the city have disrupted the movement of vehicles as heavy rainfall continues to impact life and property….reports Asian Lite News

Normal life has been severely affected as many parts of Thoothukudi remained inundated due to heavy rainfall on December 18.

Floods in various parts of the city have disrupted the movement of vehicles as heavy rainfall continues to impact life and property.

A rescue operation is underway in Tirunelveli after heavy rain has wreaked havoc in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari.

Chennai Meteorological Department at 7 am on Tuesday said, “Moderate thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over several districts of Tamil Nadu & Karaikal. Light rain is likely in isolated places in several districts of Tamil Nadu in the next three hours.”

The Chennai Chennai MeT predicted thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rain at isolated places over Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal on Tuesday morning.

“Heavy rainfall in the Southern District of Tamil Nadu impacted train operations. Southern Railway is making concerted efforts to restorative of traffic & evacuation of stranded passengers at Srivakuntam Railway station,” Southern Railway said in a press release.

Railway Staff from Madurai Division Commercial supervisor, Commercial Inspector and RPF Personnel have reached Srivaikuntam Railway station today morning with food and water for the stranded passengers.

NDRF is also reaching Srivaikuntam Rly station shortly. The evacuation by ground will start once they reach.

NDRF PRO stated that two NDRF teams struggled to reach stranded passengers for rescue operations due to severe floods. NDRF is making efforts to reach them and will do the necessary.

13 buses for transportation of the stranded passengers are kept ready in the Srivaikuntam bus depot. On evacuation from the station, they will be brought to the buses and moved to Vanchi Maniyachchi Railway Station which is 38 kms from Srivaikuntam.

A special train will be run to Chennai from Vanchi Manyichchi Station for all the stranded passengers, Southern Railways said.

Indian Army rescued flood-affected people from the Vasavappapuram area in Thoothukudi on Monday night.

As the Southern Tamil Nadu faces severe flood crisis due to heavy rains that have lashed the region in the last 24 hours. The state and central governments have launched massive rescue and relief operations to help the affected people.

“On December 18, Tamil Nadu received unprecedented rains in the last 24 hours that have caused extensive flooding in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts. The IAF responded swiftly and tasked Air Force Station Sulur with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, which is currently being undertaken by MI -17 V5 helicopter,” the Indian Air Force said in a post on ‘X’. (ANI)

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Temperatures drop in the national capital

A patient from Bihar said that they have provided blankets are food also would be provided…reports Asian Lite News

A cold wave has gripped Delhi and parts of NCR as the minimum temperature recorded was 6.8 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road on Monday morning by the Indian Meteorological Department. As the temperature dipped in Delhi, people were seen sitting by the bonfire in a bid to keep themselves warm. People took refuge at a night shelter in AIIMS.

IMD has recorded the minimum temperature in Delhi’s Safdarjung area to be at 7.1 degrees which is 1 degree below the normal for this time of the year. The Minimum temperature is predicted to range between 5 degrees and 8 degrees over this week with Friday December 22 predicted to have the lowest temperature at 5 degree.

A caretaker at the AIIMS night shelter said, “Those who are coming from other states for treatment can take shelter here after seeing their Aadhar and OPD card and those who are sleeping outside in the cold can also take shelter here. They can come here anytime in 24 hours. We provide bed sheets and blankets. Food is also provided thrice a day. There are a total of 40 beds here.”

A patient from Bihar said that they have provided blankets are food also would be provided.

People were seen sitting by bonfire in Mandi House to keep themselves warm.

A local said, “We are facing severe problems. It is getting too much cold. Sometimes people donate blankets. Some miscreants have entered government night shelters so we are forced to sleep on footpaths.”

Dense fog also engulfed the National Capital along with the cold wave on Monday morning.

A local resident said that today the temperature is less compared to last two days and due to fog it was taking more time to reach the destination.

Earlier, Indian Meteorological Department scientist Naresh Kumar briefed about the weather change expected in northwest India due to the Western disturbance in the Himalayan region.

IMD Scientist Dr Naresh Kumar said, “Right now, the temperature is normal in the northwest India which may fall about one to two degrees in the next two days and two to three degrees in the east India.

“There is a cloud patch in Jammu and Kashmir due to the western disturbance that is causing rainfall, and snowfall, all over the region. We are not expecting any weather change in the plains of northwest India. We are witnessing another western disturbance that will affect northwest India starting from the 22nd of December but it will mainly affect the Himalayan region. Although we are not expecting any active western disturbance as a result the temperature will remain normal,” he said.

Kumar said that no cold wave is expected in northwest India for the next two to three days.”

In Delhi, the temperature was recorded at almost 6.5 degrees which is almost near normal, and it will remain 6-7 degrees for the next two days,” he added. (ANI)

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Delhi’s double trouble: Chilling cold and poor air quality

People could be seen jogging and working out at a park in the Kashmiri Gate area, which was covered with a thin layer of haze….reports Asian Lite News

Delhi woke up to foggy conditions on Sunday morning following a slight drop in minimum temperature. The temperature in the national capital was recorded at 7 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am.

People could be seen jogging and working out at a park in the Kashmiri Gate area, which was covered with a thin layer of haze.

Earlier, Delhi recorded a temperature of 7.4 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital continued to hover in the ‘very poor’ category on Sunday morning, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) at IGI Airport (T3) was recorded at 311 at 8.00 am. The AQI in the New Moti Bagh area was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category at 331. The air quality in Punjabi Bagh was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category at 382.

The AQI at Anand Vihar was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category at 385.

As the temperature in New Delhi dropped, the city’s homeless sought refuge in night shelters. One such shelter is in Sarai Kale Khan, which is open 24 hours a day and provides bathing facilities, food three times a day, and medical care, including a clinic and medicine.

Suraj, a homeless person staying at the night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan,, praised the facilities and staff.

“The shelter is open 24 hours a day, and there are also bathing facilities here. I used to live outside before, but when I found out about this night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan, I came here to stay. The sleeping arrangements here are all okay. There is also a washroom here, and there are facilities for everything. And the staff here do their duty well 24 hours a day. We get food here three times. There is a clinic here for medical care, and we also get medicine here,” Suraj told ANI.

Akshay and Mohammad Nausad, caretakers of the shelter, highlighted the availability of 20 beds, separate blankets for everyone, a ‘Mohalla Clinic’, and a medical team. They emphasised that the shelter is open to anyone at any time.

“There are 20 beds here and separate blankets for everyone. For medical, there is a ‘Mohalla Clinic’ here and we also have a medical team. Food comes three times a day here,” Akshay, one of the caretakers of the night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan, said.

“Anyone can come and stay in this shelter at any time. This shelter remains open 24 hours a day,” Mohammad Nausad, another caretaker of the night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan, said.

Sombi, a disabled resident, appreciated the shelter’s special bathroom for the disabled.

“I used to sleep outside on the road earlier, and when I learned about this night shelter, I came here. This night shelter has a special bathroom for the disabled,” he said. (ANI)

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Global Coal Demand to Decline in 2026 After Record High in 2023

Demand in emerging and developing economies, meanwhile, remains very strong, increasing by eight per cent in India and by five per cent in China in 2023 due to rising demand for electricity and weak hydropower output…reports Asian Lite News

After reaching an all-time high this year, global coal demand is expected to decline in 2026 by 2.3 per cent, said the latest edition of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) annual coal market report on Friday — the first time that the report has predicted a drop in global coal consumption over its forecast period.

Coal 2023 sees global demand for coal rising by 1.4 per cent in 2023, surpassing 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time. The global increase masks stark differences among regions.

Consumption is on course to decline sharply in most advanced economies in 2023, including record drops in the European Union (EU) and the US of around 20 per cent each.

Demand in emerging and developing economies, meanwhile, remains very strong, increasing by eight per cent in India and by five per cent in China in 2023 due to rising demand for electricity and weak hydropower output.

However, the report expects global coal demand to fall by 2.3 per cent by 2026 compared with 2023 levels, even in the absence of governments announcing and implementing stronger clean energy and climate policies.

This decline is set to be driven by the major expansion of renewable energy capacity coming online in the three years to 2026.

More than half of this global renewable capacity expansion is set to occur in China, which currently accounts for over half of the world’s demand for coal.

As a result, Chinese coal demand is expected to fall in 2024 and plateau through 2026. That said, the outlook for coal in China will be significantly affected in the coming years by the pace of clean energy deployment, weather conditions, and structural shifts in the Chinese economy.

The projected decline in global demand for coal — which is currently the largest energy source for electricity generation, steelmaking and cement production, but also the largest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activity — could mark a historic turning point.

However, global consumption is forecast to remain well over 8 billion tonnes through 2026, according to the market report.

To drive down emissions at a rate consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement, the use of unabated coal would need to fall significantly faster.

‘’We have seen declines in global coal demand a few times, but they were brief and caused by extraordinary events such as the collapse of the Soviet Union or the Covid-19 crisis. This time appears different, as the decline is more structural, driven by the formidable and sustained expansion of clean energy technologies,” said Keisuke Sadamori, IEA Director of Energy Markets and Security.

“A turning point for coal is clearly on the horizon — though the pace at which renewables expand in key Asian economies will dictate what happens next, and much greater efforts are needed to meet international climate targets.”

The report finds that the shift in coal demand and production to Asia is accelerating. This year, China, India and Southeast Asia are set to account for three-quarters of global consumption, up from only about one-quarter in 1990.

Consumption in Southeast Asia is expected to exceed for the first time that of the US and that of the EU in 2023.

Through 2026, India and Southeast Asia are the only regions where coal consumption is poised to grow significantly. In advanced economies, the expansion of renewables amid weak electricity demand growth is set to continue driving the structural decline of coal consumption.

Meanwhile, China, India and Indonesia — the three largest coal producers globally — are expected to break output records in 2023, pushing global production to a new high in 2023.

These three countries now account for more than 70 per cent of the world’s coal production. Global coal trade is expected to contract as demand declines in the years ahead.

However, trade will reach a new high in 2023, driven by strong growth in Asia.

Chinese imports are on track to reach 450 million tonnes, which is more than 100 million tonnes above the previous global record set by the country in 2013, while Indonesia’s exports in 2023 will be close to 500 million tonnes — also a global record.

Vibhuti Garg, South Asia Director, IEEFA, said, “Renewable energy capacity additions may force global coal demand to peak this year, however, it’s not fast enough.

“The speed at which the decline happens depends on the ability of developed countries to support the developing world. Countries must find a way to move past phase-down and towards a complete phase-out.”

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