Despite the global shift towards cleaner energy, coal remains a major source of electricity and a key input for steel production. China, India and the United States dominate both production and consumption, reflecting coal’s continued role in energy security. However, environmental regulation, carbon reduction targets and competition from renewable energy sources are reshaping its future. Coal markets are increasingly divided between short-term necessity and long-term decline. This resource embodies the tensions of the energy transition. Read more to understand why coal still matters in certain economies, how regulation influences its market, and what challenges lie ahead for this controversial energy source.