Germany has cranked up its coal use by 13% in the past four years while Britain’s usage increased 20%, according to statistics from BP.

Despite Germany increasing production by wind and solar five-fold in the past decade, unprecedented energy demand has led to the country’s coal dependence increasing.

Germany has pledged to cut emission by 30% from 1990 standards by 2030, and has so far managed a decline of 25%.

However, environmentalists fear Germany is taking a step in the wrong direction after increasing coal burning consistently over the past four years.

In order to combat the lure of cheap energy from coal, the EU is planning to up its commitment to the environment and pledge a 40% decline in greenhouse gas emission by 2030.

If successful, it will be the biggest effort to combat climate change since the Kyoto protocol of 1997.

Less economically powerful nations are not on board with the EU’s decision. Poland has reportedly refused to sign up to any environmental commitment until the EU guarantees it can continue to use coal as a fuel source.

Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary have all expressed their concerns, through the body known as the Visegrad group claiming the plan will place a “disproportionate burden on the lower-income member states”