The global economic recovery in 2021 will lead to a recovery in coal demand after a significant drop in 2020 caused by the Covid-19 crisis. There is no indication that the global coal consumption will decline significantly in the coming years, as increased demand in some Asian countries will offset declines in others. Based on the assumption of a global economic recovery, experts forecast a 2.6% growth in the global coal demand in 2021, driven by an increased demand for electricity and industrial production. The economies of China, India and Southeast Asia account for most of the growth. The future of coal will largely be decided in Asia. Today, China and India account for 65% of the world's coal demand. Taking into account Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, this share rises to 75%. China will be particularly influential, as it currently accounts for half of the world's coal consumption. By 2025, the European Union and the United States will account for less than 10% of global coal demand, down from 37% in 2000.