It added that this year’s so-called “Godzilla” El Niño weather pattern would lead to more coal demand from countries in Asia, such as India and Vietnam, as high temperatures lead to more demand for air-conditioning and lower hydropower output.
Coal use has been in long-term decline in Western economies as they switch to gas and renewables. However, usage has remained high in many developing economies and China, while Mr Trump has sought to encourage more coal production in the US.
A kilowatt-hour of power generated by burning coal typically releases a kilogram of CO2 – double that of gas. A typical UK household consumes 12,000 kilowatt-hours of energy a year.
The rise in coal use coincides with scientific reports that August was the world’s joint hottest month on record, with global temperatures at 1.65C above pre-industrial times.
Last month was the hottest August on record, with Western Europe experiencing its warmest ever summer, scientists from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
A run of heatwaves from May to August caused droughts in the UK, France, Hungary, Romania and Serbia, with major rivers, such as the Rhine and Danube, seeing exceptionally low flows.
Prof Friederike Otto, who specialises in climate science at Imperial College London, said: “You don’t need to be a climate scientist to see the evidence of climate change; you just need to look out of your window.
“Until we stop burning coal, oil and gas, these record-shattering months will simply keep on coming.”
The IEA said coal demand could increase again next year if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
