GRANDEUR ET DÉCADENCE 2022

The report details a global landscape where coal capacity is increasingly concentrated in China, while other regions face a decline in new projects. Despite a record number of phase-out announcements following COP26, the global fleet grew by 18.2 GW in 2021, primarily due to Chinese expansion. The document argues that 'clean coal' technologies are costly and ineffective distractions from the necessary total phase-out of coal power.

• The global operational coal fleet consists of over 2,400 plants in 79 countries with nearly 2,100 GW of capacity; however, the fleet grew by 18.2 GW in 2021.
• China is the primary driver of coal expansion, accounting for 56% of new capacity commissioned in 2021 (25.2 GW) and over half of the global capacity currently under construction (52%).
• Following COP26, the number of coal plants with announced closure dates nearly doubled to 750 plants (550 GW), yet only 5% of the current operational fleet is covered by a phase-out date or carbon neutrality goal.
• Public international financing for new coal plants has largely ceased following commitments from the G20, Japan, South Korea, and China, the latter of which announced it would no longer build new coal plants abroad.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and other 'clean coal' technologies are characterized as expensive and uncertain distractions that prolong fossil fuel dependency.
• In the United States, coal retirements slowed in 2021 to an estimated 6.4 GW to 9 GW, falling short of the average 25 GW annual retirements needed by 2030 to meet climate goals.
• The European Union (EU27) saw a record 12.9 GW of coal capacity retired in 2021, with Portugal completely eliminating coal in November 2021.
• In Southeast Asia, pre-construction and construction capacities fell by 17% in 2021, while in South Asia, they decreased by 27%.
• To align with the IPCC 1.5 degree Celsius scenario, the world must close an additional 1,100 GW of capacity by 2030, including 500 GW in China and 340 GW in the OECD.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2022). GRANDEUR ET DÉCADENCE 2022. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBustCoalPlants_2022_French_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. GRANDEUR ET DÉCADENCE 2022. 2022. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBustCoalPlants_2022_French_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=GRANDEUR ET DÉCADENCE 2022 |date=April 2022 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBustCoalPlants_2022_French_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2022grandeur, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{GRANDEUR ET DÉCADENCE 2022}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/BoomAndBustCoalPlants_2022_French_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }