Coal Mine Openings Slow as East Asian Demand Plateaus

East Asia has seen a significant slowdown in new coal mine openings, with the lowest amount of new coal mine capacity brought online for at least 10 years in 2025, according to a report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM). The report found that new coal mine capacity declined by nearly 40% from 2024, marking the second consecutive year new mine capacity has hit a decade low. This decline represents an acceleration of a steady decline that began in 2019. The slowdown in new coal mine openings was driven by China and Australia, where new additions fell by 44% and 96%, respectively. In China, the decline in new coal mine openings was partly due to solar and wind displacing coal for electricity generation, although coal rebounded in the first half of 2026. The National Energy Administration in China also implemented new rules to curb new mine openings. In Australia, a 96% reduction in new coal mine capacity was driven by shrinking demand from countries that import Australian coal for electricity, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. This trend is likely to continue, according to GEM, as the Australian state of New South Wales recently banned new coal mines on undeveloped greenfield land. South Korea has also promised to stop building coal-fired power plants that cannot capture and store the emissions produced. Japan is pushing for a post-Fukushima nuclear revival to displace coal. Globally, growth in coal demand has slowed over the last few years, and the International Energy Agency expects it to plateau through to 2030 due to the growth of renewable energy, nuclear, and fossil gas. ## Coal Demand Plateaus in East Asia The slowdown in new coal mine openings in East Asia is a significant development, as the region has been a major driver of global coal demand. However, while new coal mine openings fell, the amount of global coal mine capacity proposed increased by 11%. This was almost entirely driven by a spate of projects in the eastern Indian states of Jharkhand and Odisha. The Indian government says it needs to increase coal production to meet growing electricity demand from economic growth and from dealing with heatwaves. It plans to open more than 20 new coal mines to meet its coal production targets. However, the Global Energy Monitor report warns that if these projects are built, they would commit India to years of coal expansion and put a 1.5C-aligned transition away from fossil fuels farther out of reach. The Indian government's plans to increase coal production have raised concerns about the country's commitment to reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. At COP26, five years ago, nations agreed to "phase down" coal power, but China and India successfully pushed to weaken this commitment from "phase out". At COP28 in 2023, governments agreed to transition away from all fossil fuels in energy systems. The slowdown in new coal mine openings in East Asia is a significant development, and it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue. However, one thing is clear: the world is moving away from coal, and the days of coal as a major source of energy are numbered.