L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE

The report finds that while the 'return of coal' did not materialize globally in 2022, the pace of retirements remains insufficient to meet Paris Agreement targets. China is a major outlier, with its coal capacity in development increasing by 38% in 2022, while capacities in the rest of the world decreased by 20%. In the EU and UK, coal use saw a marginal 1% increase due to the gas crisis, but long-term trends remain downward. In Sub-Saharan Africa, coal projects persist despite funding shortages, though some successful just transition initiatives, such as the Komati plant retirement in South Africa, provide a potential model for the region.

• Global coal capacity retirements are not currently aligned with Paris Agreement goals. To achieve total elimination by 2040, an average of 117 GW must be closed annually, which is 4.5 times the capacity closed in 2022.
• China is significantly expanding its coal capacity while the rest of the world declines. In 2022, China's developing capacities rose by 38% (from 266 GW to 366 GW), whereas the rest of the world saw a 20% decrease (from 214 GW to 172 GW). China now accounts for 68% of global coal power capacity in development.
• The European Union and United Kingdom have largely ceased developing new coal plants, with no plants in pre-construction and only one under construction. Despite a temporary 1% increase in EU coal generation in 2022 due to the gas crisis and the invasion of Ukraine, the long-term trend remains a decline, with approximately 60 GW projected for retirement by 2030.
• In North Africa and the Middle East, coal capacity is declining; no new proposals were made in 2022. Over half of the region's 8.6 GW of coal capacity is scheduled for retirement or replacement by 2026, although some plants in Morocco and Israel have seen extensions.
• Sub-Saharan Africa remains at a crossroads with nearly 50 GW of operational capacity and 10 GW in development. While some projects were cancelled in Kenya and Tanzania, others persist, such as the 2.8 GW Sengwa plant in Zimbabwe. South Africa's energy crisis and load shedding have led the government to consider accelerated approval processes for new installations, which may favor coal.
• Private financial support for coal is largely insufficient. While 99 financial institutions updated their coal policies in 2022, only 12 of these commitments are restrictive enough to effectively stop the funding of new mines and power plants.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2023). L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2023-French_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE. 2023. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2023-French_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE |date=April 2023 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2023-French_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2023ltat, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2023-French_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }