Stories of Coal Phase-Out: Lessons learned for China

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes coal phase-out experiences in California, Denmark, France, and Beijing to derive lessons for China's national energy transition. Using a "window of opportunity" framework, it examines how context, champions, concerns, and complementary policies drive the shift from coal to cleaner energy sources.

• California's coal phase-out was facilitated by a lack of recoverable coal reserves and a strong legislative framework, including the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), which mandated reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Senate Bill 1368 effectively banned new coal generation without carbon-capture technology by setting a baseload emission standard of 1,100 lbs of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour.
• Denmark significantly reduced coal's role in electricity generation from 83 per cent in 1994 to 34 per cent in 2014, with a commitment to completely phase out coal from power plants by 2030. This transition is supported by a goal to make 100 per cent of its energy supply renewable by 2050.
• France's phase-out of coal mining began in the 1960s and concluded with an agreement in 1994 to close all remaining mines, driven by the fact that domestic coal cost more than three times as much as imported coal. France also reduced coal-fired electricity generation by 60 per cent between 2010 and the end of 2015, with coal representing only 2 per cent of generation in 2014.
• Beijing has aggressively phased out coal to combat air pollution, closing major power plants in 2014 and 2015 and banning all illegal or inefficient small coal mines by June 2010. These actions reduced annual coal use by 9.2 million metric tonnes and cut carbon emissions by approximately 30 million tonnes.
• The 'APEC blue' phenomenon during the 2014 summit demonstrated that strict, integrated emission reductions—including suspending coal-burning in factories—could significantly improve air quality, with PM2.5 in Beijing decreasing by 40–62 per cent. This created public pressure for the government to make such air quality improvements permanent.
• Beijing's coal phase-out is driven by a combination of central government policies (such as the Energy Development Strategy Action Plan 2014–2020) and local implementation, including the 2012-2020 Beijing Air Pollution Control Measures. The city is transitioning its economic structure from industrial-dominated to service-industry dominated, with the tertiary industry now accounting for 80 per cent of the economy.
• General lessons for China's national transition include the importance of resource endowment, as successful phase-outs often occur where coal is depleted or non-existent. The report suggests that China may run out of domestic coal before 2050 if current extraction rates continue, making phase-out a plausible policy.

APA

-1, Gass, P., Duan, H., & Gerasimchuk, I. (2016). Stories of Coal Phase-Out: Lessons learned for China. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/stories-coal-phase-out-lessons-learned-for-china.pdf

Chicago

-1, Philip Gass, Hongxia Duan, and Ivetta Gerasimchuk. Stories of Coal Phase-Out: Lessons learned for China. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2016. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/stories-coal-phase-out-lessons-learned-for-china.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=-1 |last2=Gass |first2=Philip |last3=Duan |first3=Hongxia |last4=Gerasimchuk |first4=Ivetta |title=Stories of Coal Phase-Out: Lessons learned for China |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2016 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/stories-coal-phase-out-lessons-learned-for-china.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{12016stories, author = {-1 and Gass, Philip and Duan, Hongxia and Gerasimchuk, Ivetta}, title = {{Stories of Coal Phase-Out: Lessons learned for China}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/stories-coal-phase-out-lessons-learned-for-china.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }