LONDON, Dec 16 Reuters Global coal consumption is set to rise to an alltime high in 2022 and remain at similar levels in the next few years if stronger efforts are not made to move to a lowcarbon economy, a report by the International Energy Agency IEA said on Friday.

High gas prices following Russia39;s invasion of Ukraine and consequent disruptions to supply have led some countries to turn to relatively cheaper coal this year.

Heatwaves and droughts in some regions have also driven up electricity demand and reduced hydropower, while nuclear generation has also been very weak, especially in Europe, where France had to shut down nuclear reactors for maintenance.

The IEA39;s annual report on coal forecasts global coal use is set to rise by 1.2 this year, exceeding 8 billion tonnes in a single year for the first time and a previous record set in 2013.

It also predicts that coal consumption will remain flat at that level to 2025 as falls in mature markets are offset by continued strong demand in emerging Asian economies.

This means coal will continue to be the global energy systems largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions by far.

The largest increase in coal demand is expected to be in India at 7, followed by the European Union at 6 and China at 0.4.

The world is close to a peak in fossil fuel use, with coal set to be the first to decline, but we are not there yet, said Keisuke Sadamori, the IEAs director of energy markets and security.

Europe39;s coal…