L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE

The report highlights a contradictory global trend: while most countries are reducing coal construction and many are committing to phase-outs, global coal capacity increased by 11% since 2015, reaching a record high in 2023. This growth is driven primarily by China, which accounted for two-thirds of the 2023 increase. Outside China, new construction starts reached their lowest level since 2015. The report notes that only 15% of global operational capacity has a documented phase-out plan aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Regional analyses show significant progress in the EU and UK, though some countries lag behind 2030 targets, and a volatile situation in Sub-Saharan Africa where South Africa remains heavily dependent on coal despite an energy crisis.

• Global coal power capacity reached an absolute record in 2023, increasing by 48.4 GW (2%) to a total of 2,130 GW. China was responsible for two-thirds of this increase.
• Excluding China, the number of new coal plant construction starts in 2023 decreased for the second consecutive year, reaching the lowest level since data collection began in 2015.
• There is a significant gap in phase-out planning; only 317 GW (15%) of global operational capacity has a documented retirement plan aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit. To eliminate coal by 2040, an average of 126 GW must be closed annually over the next 17 years.
• In the EU and UK, coal-fired electricity production collapsed by 26% in 2023, with renewables exceeding 40% of total EU production for the first time. However, six countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia) are lagging behind the 2030 phase-out standards.
• South Africa represents 93% of Sub-Saharan Africa's coal capacity and operates the world's sixth-largest coal fleet. Despite this, it faced a severe energy crisis in 2023 with 335 days of intermittent power cuts.
• In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), no new coal projects are under study for the third consecutive year. Only Israel and Morocco currently operate coal capacity (8.6 GW total), and both are planning to transition away from it.
• Zimbabwe is the country with the most coal capacity under study in Sub-Saharan Africa (6.5 GW), including 1.9 GW of new projects in 2023 specifically for chrome extraction ('captive' projects) likely controlled by Chinese interests.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2024). L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2024-French_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE. 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2024-French_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE |date=April 2024 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2024-French_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2024ltat, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{L’ÉTAT DES CENTRALES À CHARBON DU MONDE}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/Boom-Bust-Coal-2024-French_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }