G20 Per Capita Coal Power Emissions 2023

More countries are seeing decreasing per capita coal emissions as they shift towards clean power, but coal pollution remains an issue.

New analysis by energy think tank Ember finds that per capita coal power pollution in more than half of the G20 economies are declining. However, despite continued decline, the top two coal polluters — Australia and South Korea — are still far ahead; a position they have held since 2020.

This showcases the pace of clean transition, which is one of the key drivers to phase down coal, is not fast enough. Coal reliance continues in the group’s major economies, increasing in countries such as China which falls in third place for per capita coal emissions.