Drought in China May Worsen Global Shortage of Coal
Normally, late July and early August are the wettest months in southern China. This year, however, rainfall during this period was below normal with precipitation in the region since July remaining at 135 mm. This is significantly lower than the average annual precipitation of the region from 2014 to 2021, which stood at 464 mm. This drought has prompted an increase in the price of coal, as traders expect that more coal will be burned to meet the demand for electricity this winter as hydroelectric power generation dwindles. The country’s increasing consumption of coal may worsen the already present global…