Thermal coal: Emissions
The heaviest carbon footprint of any common fuel
What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint of the commodity at a global level, split by lifecycle phase: extraction (or farming), refining and processing, movement, usage, and recycling or end of life. Intensities are per unit of product; the global total combines intensity with world output. Also covers other environmental impacts and the main levers to cut emissions. Emission intensity 2.60 t CO2e per t range 1.2-3.0 · cradle-to-grave with 100-year GWP for mine methane; lignite sits at the low end per tonne because of its low heat content Global emissions per year 14k Mt CO2e per year 2023-2024 · all coal: about 15.4 Gt CO2 from combustion plus about 1.2 Gt CO2e of mine methane; less about 3 Gt attributable to coking coal (see that tile)Per t of thermal coal of about 25 GJ/t mined, shipped and burned in a power plant (cradle-to-grave). Intensity: IPCC 2006 Guidelines; IEA Global Methane Tracker 2025 (derived, indicative). Global total: Global Carbon Budget 2024; IEA Global Methane Tracker 2025 (derived, indicative).
Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
Extraction 6% Refining / processing 1% Movement 1% Usage 92%Footprint by lifecycle phase
| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction | about 0.15 t CO2e/t (mine methane about 0.13 plus diesel and power) | 6% | methane released from seams; diesel for trucks and draglines | Underground gassy mines emit far more than shallow open-cut mines; coal mine methane is about 40 Mt CH4 a year | IEA Global Methane Tracker 2025 (derived, indicative) |
| Refining / processing | about 0.01-0.02 t CO2e/t | 1% | crushing and washing | Washing cuts ash and raises energy per tonne shipped | Industry practice (indicative) |
| Movement | about 0.02-0.05 t CO2e/t | 1% | rail haul and bulk shipping | Rail inside India and seaborne from Indonesia or Australia are both small next to combustion | IMO Fourth GHG Study 2020 (indicative) |
| Usage | about 2.4 t CO2/t (94.6 kg CO2/GJ x 25 GJ/t) | 92% | combustion in boilers | A typical coal plant emits about 0.9-1.0 kg CO2 per kWh | IPCC 2006 Guidelines, bituminous coal default factor |
| Recycling / end of life | not applicable for the fuel; fly ash reuse avoids some cement clinker | – | coal is consumed; ash remains | Using fly ash in blended cement cuts cement emissions | this tile's lessons; GCCA (indicative) |
Other environmental impacts
Coal burning emits SO2, NOx, mercury and fine particles that harm health. Mines cause land disturbance, forest loss (for example in Hasdeo, Chhattisgarh) and water pollution, and fly ash ponds can breach.
Levers to cut emissions
- Capture and use coal mine methane through drainage and ventilation air oxidation
- Higher-efficiency supercritical and ultra-supercritical plants (about 38-45% efficiency versus 30-35% for older subcritical units, indicative)
- Co-firing biomass pellets: India mandates 5-7% biomass co-firing in coal plants (Ministry of Power, indicative)
- Replace coal generation with wind, solar and storage; India targets 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030
India
India burned about 23.0 EJ of coal in 2024, roughly 2.2 Gt CO2 (derived: 23.0 EJ x about 95 kg CO2/GJ, Energy Institute 2025, indicative). Its high-ash coal means more tonnes moved and more ash per unit of power.
Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.