China's Coal Production Surges to Meet Energy Demands

China's coal output rose 2.8% in July from a year earlier as mines ramped up production to ensure steady supply amid record-breaking heat, China's statistics bureau data showed, even though thermal power output fell while hydropower generation surged. As Reuters reports, the world's biggest polluter and largest coal producer mined 390.37 million metric tons of the fuel last month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics data on Thursday, which while down from June's 405.38 million tons, which was the highest level since December 2023, was…