Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the power sector fell by 2% last year, the biggest fall since at least 1990, owing to reduced coal usage in Europe and the United States, a study showed on Monday. Coal-fired power generation fell by 3% globally, also the largest fall since 1990, research by independent climate think tank Ember showed. The drop in Europe was 24%, driven by a switch to renewables, while U.S. coal-fired generation was down 16% because of more competitive gas. However, China bucked the trend with a rise as it became responsible for half of global coal-fired power generation. Overall, the decline in coal use last year and shift toward renewables was helped by factors such as cheap gas, nuclear plant restarts […]