Final answer:
Global coal consumption has not decreased significantly since the year 2000; it is false. While the U.S has seen a significant decline, global consumption has been affected by increases in countries like China, and coal remains a major source of CO₂ emissions globally.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that global coal consumption has decreased significantly since the year 2000 is false. While it is true that coal usage in the U.S. has declined dramatically over the last 20 years, mainly due to natural gas replacing coal in electricity production, the global trend has not mirrored this decrease.
In contrast, during the same period, countries like China have seen a substantial increase in coal consumption, nearly quadrupling their use as the country has industrialized and its standard of living has risen. Meanwhile, globally, coal remains a significant contributor to CO₂ emissions.
Given that different countries are at various stages of development and have unique energy needs, global fossil fuel use can vary significantly. Coal, despite its decline in certain regions, remains an important source of energy on a global scale, partly because developing countries may rely on it for economic growth. Projections for global primary energy consumption do not suggest a rapid or significant decline in coal usage before 2050.