World remains reluctant to say goodbye to coal
20:56
In 2021, the production capacity of coal-fired power plants decreased, but not enough to meet the climate targets, according to the Global Energy Monitor report. The global production capacity of coal-fired power plants under construction decreased by 13 percent in 2021altogether from 525 to 457 gigawatts. The number of countries planning such investments fell from 41 to 34.
While China (along with South Korea and Japan as well as G20 countries) has pledged to end financing of new coal-fired power plants abroad, it continues to lead the way in building new coal-fired power plants domestically, producing more power than the rest of the world put together.
The authors of the report indicate that among the countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the greatest energy capacities from coal by 2030 may be achieved by the United States, Japan, Turkey, Germany, South Korea, Poland and Australia. Poland was also listed as one of the six countries considering new investments in coal energy, despite warnings from scientists and experts.
