Coal mining globally
The IEA estimates that 9.15 billion tonnes of coal was mined in 2025, similar to 2024 levels. Decreases amongst some nations were balanced out by increases in coal production amongst China, India, and Indonesia, although the rate of increase is slower than preceding years.
China accounted for 4,730 million tonnes of the 2025 global total. India was the next biggest coal producer of 2025, mining 1,089 million tonnes of coal. US mining increased production to 473 million tonnes, largely attributed to Trump’s unbridled policy support to the sector. EU levels remained stable at 242 million tonnes. There were around 7,000 recorded coal mines across 70 countries.
According to Global Energy Monitor, the 835 new coal mines proposed, as of 2025, amounts to approximately 2,521 million tonnes per year. Although over 50% of the proposed capacity is still awaiting permits, nearly 50% has already advanced beyond that stage: 18% has received permits, and 31% is under construction or in test operation. Proposed capacity is being led by China, then India, and Australia, although increases in capacity are slowing in 2025, mainly due to the rate of new capacity falling in China (by 44%) and Australia (by 96%). In China, expanding renewable generation and tighter safety inspections and capacity controls have slowed mine development. In Australia, weakening demand from key export markets and the NSW ban on new greenfield coal mines are expected to keep future capacity additions low.
Irrespective of how the coal is eventually used, the act of coal mining itself emits around 15.7 million tonnes of methane globally per year (equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent over 20 yrs), more than oil or gas. Proposed mines alone could emit 16.8 million tonnes of methane annually. Methane is a powerful climate change accelerator. Global coal mining capacity is still increasing year-on-year, but the rate of that increase slowed in 2024 compared to 2023, which added a total of 105 million tonnes of coal annually from newly-opened coal mines. In addition to this, as of July 2025, there were plans for over 850 new mines, expansions, and extensions announced or under development worldwide, amounting to 2,270 million tonnes of coal annually of new capacity. China, India, Australia, Russia, and South Africa comprise nearly 90% of all proposed mine developments. China alone has 1,321 million tonnes per year capacity in development — more than all other countries combined. 70% of this expansion is for thermal coal – to be burned primarily in power stations.
In the ‘gassiest’ of coal mines, the methane released during the act of coal mining contributes as much to climate change as burning the coal mined. Unlike CO2 from burning coal, methane released from mining coal is not consistently measured and there is little in the way of international commitments to reduce it. This is concerning as coal mine methane emissions must fall 11% each year until 2030 if we are to remain within reach of the International Energy Agency’s roadmap for Net Zero 2030, according to Global Energy Monitor.
Coal mining in the UK
As of 2026, one large commercial coal mine within the UK is in operation – Aberpergwm, a deep coal mine in South Wales, employing around 250 staff and mining around 12,000 tonnes/month. Ayle Colliery is a smaller coal mine in Northumberland with just 7 staff, mining around 150 tonnes/month. Aberpergwm secured an extension in 2022 to extract up to an additional 42 million tonnes of coal until 2039. Ayle Colliery has permission to operate until 2069. 7 other ‘artisanal’ coal mines operate in the Forest of Dean, Gloucester, collectively producing a few tonnes of coal each month. There is also a live proposal to mine around 400,000 tonnes of coal from two coal tips in Bedwas. In 2025, the UK mined 120,000 tonnes of coal (mostly anthracite), 12% higher than the 107,000 tonnes in 2025, but still 99% lower than the quantity of coal mined just 10 years ago.
Although significant, the volume of coal mining in the UK now is tiny compared with the historical coal mining sector in the UK which was a major employer of over 100,000 of workers at the industry’s height, whereas by June 2026, the sector employed just 262 people (five fewer than in June 2025). Not all of the coal mined in the UK, stays in the UK. In 2025, the UK exported 590,000 tonnes of coal (45% less than the 1.08 million tonnes exported in 2024). Most of this was selling off UK coal stockpiles, which were reduced to a historic low in 2025 at 200,000 tonnes.
The extensive coal mining across the UK and particularly in South Wales has, however, cast a long shadow. Old coal mines still leak methane into our atmosphere, coal tips left behind pose a dangerous threat to nearby homes, and residents still live with the scars left behind by sprawling and largely unrestored opencast coal mining. Communities living in areas surrounding historic coal mining sites still suffer deprivation relative to the UK average. Coal Action Network actively campaigns to improve restoration of old coal mine sites near to communities.
Click on the current and recent coal mine-specific campaigns of the UK below:
UK coal mines
Impacts from mining coal
Significant emissions can be released from coal mining and impacts from coal mining can be wide-ranging with global and local consequences. These include: