Summary
In 2020, global coal power capacity grew by 12.5 GW for the first time since 2015, driven primarily by China, which accounted for 76% of new commissions. While the US and EU saw record retirements, China's new capacity of 38.4 GW offset these gains. Meanwhile, South and Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, significantly reduced their planned coal pipelines due to financing difficulties and the falling cost of renewables. The report concludes that current global trajectories remain far from the IPCC 1.5C pathway, which would require the cancellation or retirement of an additional 1,350 GW by 2030.
Key insights
- China's coal expansion in 2020 was fueled by provincial governments using coal projects to stimulate the economy following COVID-19 slowdowns, supported by relaxed central government approval restrictions and increased lending for large projects.
Cite the original document
- APA
- Global Energy Monitor (2021). 繁荣与衰落. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBust_2021_Chinese_final_11.pdf
- Chicago
- Global Energy Monitor. 繁荣与衰落. 2021. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBust_2021_Chinese_final_11.pdf.
- Wikipedia
- {{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=繁荣与衰落 |date=April 2021 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBust_2021_Chinese_final_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}
- BibTeX
- @techreport{globalenergymonitor2021, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{繁荣与衰落}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBust_2021_Chinese_final_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }
Full text
Collected · Record updated