International Public Financing of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World

This briefing summarizes an analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) regarding the role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and public international finance in funding coal-fired power plants, contrasting this with the lower levels of funding for renewable energy and the associated health and environmental costs.

• Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) provide significantly more financing for fossil fuels than for renewables, with over $100 billion leveraged for coal plants compared to $6.4 billion provided by the United Nations' Global Environment Facility since 1994.
• A study by the EDF estimates that 88 coal plants funded by MDBs are responsible for between 6,000 and 10,700 deaths annually.
• The EDF recommends several actions to shift public finance, including prioritizing renewable energy and energy efficiency, calculating the true cost of coal including carbon emissions, creating a database of GHG-intensive investments, and establishing a common climate policy for OECD member nations' Export Credit Agencies (ECAs).

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2009). International Public Financing of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World. https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/international-public-financing-of-coal-in-a-carbon-constrained-world

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. International Public Financing of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World. 2009. https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/international-public-financing-of-coal-in-a-carbon-constrained-world.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=International Public Financing of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World |date=2 July 2009 |url=https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/international-public-financing-of-coal-in-a-carbon-constrained-world |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2009international, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{International Public Financing of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2009}, month = jul, url = {https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/international-public-financing-of-coal-in-a-carbon-constrained-world}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }