Natural Gas Price Hikes Lead to Resumption of Coal Use; US Accounts for 1/3 of Global Carbon Emission Growth in 2025

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2026/07/04 15:09:14

(Taipei, July 3, CNA Foreign News) The energy think tank "Energy Institute" pointed out that due to rising natural gas prices leading power companies to resume coal burning, the United States accounted for one-third of the global increase in carbon emissions last year. Furthermore, the US plans to build dozens of gas-fired power plants to supply data centers, with an annual carbon emission equivalent to nearly all of France.

A report released on June 30 by the Energy Institute (EI), compiled in collaboration with energy think tank Ember, accounting firm KPMG, and consulting firm Kearney Institute, indicated that carbon emissions from global energy production and consumption increased by 1.1% in 2025, reaching 35.806 billion tons. The US accounted for 13.3% of this new growth.

If the scope is broadened to the energy sector and greenhouse gas emissions are included, the total global emissions also increased by 1.1% to 41 billion tons. In this scenario, the US accounted for 36% of the new growth, with an annual increase rate of 3.2% in total emissions, compared to China's modest 0.3% annual increase.

The surge in US coal consumption by 10% last year was the primary driver behind the overall emission increase.

Although China remains the world's largest carbon emitter, accounting for 31.3% of global energy sector emissions, its growth last year was only 0.7% compared to 2024. Europe saw an increase of only 0.5%. In contrast, North America recorded the largest growth, with emissions increasing by approximately 3% compared to 2024, reversing a decade-long trend of declining emissions.

Reuters, combining the latest population data from the U.S. Census Bureau and China's National Bureau of Statistics for 2025, calculated that per capita carbon emissions in the US are nearly double those in China. The US figure is 15.36 tons per person, while China's is 8.92 tons per person.

The report shows that global total energy supply grew by 1.7% in 2025, with renewable energy contributing the most. Renewable energy generation increased by 9.1%, primarily driven by a 30% rise in solar power.

However, fueled by electric vehicles, data centers, and artificial intelligence (AI), global electricity demand has increased by 3% annually, with growth outpacing electricity supply.

In China, the consumption of gasoline and diesel both declined last year, continuing the trend from 2024. The growth in natural gas demand was mainly concentrated in Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Furthermore, a review by the US environmental group "Environmental Integrity Project" (EIP) of 74 proposed or planned gas-fired power plant projects to supply data centers across the US found that these independent power plants will collectively generate 662 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

The EIP report states that the scale of greenhouse gas emissions from these power plants is comparable to the annual emissions of all of France or all of Australia. As the power plants release harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and benzene, they also pose significant public health risks to surrounding communities.

More than half of the 74 gas-fired power plants identified by EIP are located in Texas, with the remainder concentrated in natural gas hubs including Ohio (10 plants), Pennsylvania (6 plants), and West Virginia (4 plants).

Despite environmental concerns, the Trump administration has urged for the accelerated construction of data centers and has actively taken measures to reduce construction and power supply thresholds, viewing it as a national security and economic development priority in the race with China for AI.

However, a poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos in late June showed that only one-third of surveyed Americans support such rapid expansion of data centers. With the US midterm elections approaching on November 3, this issue has become a focal point of debate and contention among voters and political factions. (Compiled by Chen Yi-wei) 1150704

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