Despite clean-energy talks, world coal power generation rose 7% last year

The study also found investments in clean energy fell 21%, to $133 billion, across emerging markets last year, as China, India and Brazil all cut back

For all the talk of ditching fossil fuels to fight climate change, coal remains king in much of the world.

The amount of electricity generated from coal jumped 7% in the developing world last year, according to BloombergNEF’s annual Climatescope report that evaluated more than 100 nations. It’s the biggest increase in five years.

While coal consumption is sliding in the U.S. and Europe, it’s still cheaper than wind or solar in many emerging markets. That makes it an appealing choice in China, India and other nations seeking cheap electricity to lift residents from poverty. Since the start of the