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The document analyzes coal finance in 18 high-impact countries (HICs) in South Asia and Africa, highlighting that while global trends shift toward renewables, significant coal investment persists, largely driven by Chinese state-owned institutions. It argues that coal is an inefficient path to universal electricity access compared to distributed renewables and warns of stranded asset risks, citing overcapacity in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The author contends that while the Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP) and infrastructure investments provide necessary financial incentives to reach a goal of 80 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030, these measures lack the enforceability needed to prevent backsliding. The document urges the EPA to use its Clean Air Act authority to update and strengthen new source performance standards (NSPS) for coal- and gas-fired power plants and to establish standards for existing plants, ensuring that emissions reductions are legally binding rather than voluntary.

Reclaim Finance critiques a proposed initiative by the Asian Development Bank and Prudential to accelerate the closure of coal plants in Asia. The organization warns that the scheme could provide a financial lifeline to polluting plants, allow major fossil fuel funders like Citi, HSBC, and BlackRock to greenwash their reputations, and fail to ensure that resale profits are used for the energy transition rather than further fossil fuel investment.

The document calls for urgent action to address the climate crisis, asserting that the necessary zero-emissions technologies already exist and are increasingly cost-competitive. It advocates for a broad spectrum of solutions, the immediate end of fossil fuel subsidies, and the rapid shutdown of coal plants and other carbon-intensive assets to prevent the planet from reaching an unbearable hothouse earth scenario.

Despite pledges for carbon neutrality, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce coal-based projects in early 2021. While CO2 emissions growth showed signs of cooling in the second quarter of 2021 due to government controls on financial excesses and industrial output, the volume of new coal projects remains high, risking the creation of stranded assets and undermining 2030 emission reduction targets.

Despite a slowdown in emission growth in Q2 2021, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce significant new coal-based capacity in the first half of the year. The report highlights a contradiction between economic growth driven by construction and decarbonization goals, noting that zero-emission power only met 30% of electricity demand growth between H1 2019 and H1 2021. While government measures to control fiscal overspending and industrial output led to a slowdown in CO2 emission growth in the second quarter, the continued announcement of coal-based projects risks creating stranded assets and hindering the transition to low-carbon technologies.

The report evaluates the impact of SO2 emissions from large solid fuel combustion installations in South Africa, primarily those operated by Eskom and Sasol. It concludes that implementing stricter emission standards is technologically feasible and economically beneficial for society due to significant reductions in public health costs, despite the high capital costs for plant operators. The panel recommends a flexible regulatory approach where emission limits are tailored to the remaining lifetime of each plant, suggesting that plants operating beyond the mid-2030s should meet stricter limits of 250 mg/Nm3 or 500 mg/Nm3, while those retiring sooner may be granted more lenient limits of 1000 mg/Nm3. The report highlights that 'expedited retirement' of older coal capacity could reduce retrofit costs by approximately 25% and minimize electricity tariff increases.

The statement highlights the continued support of the coal industry by Japanese financial giants Mizuho, SMBC, MUFG, and Tokio Marine, noting billions of dollars in financing and insurance provided to coal developers and projects globally despite climate commitments.

The report argues that the 2019 IRP's goal of adding 1500 MW of new coal generation is technically and environmentally problematic. It concludes that 'clean coal' is a myth, as even high-efficiency, low-emission (HELE) technologies cannot eliminate significant air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The author finds that advanced ultra-supercritical plants and carbon capture technologies are currently unproven or cost-prohibitive at scale, making them unlikely to be implemented. Furthermore, the report asserts that the 2023 timeline for the first 750 MW is unrealistic and that new plants would inevitably cause harm to human and environmental health through emissions of toxic organic compounds, trace metals, and acid gases, as well as impacts from the broader coal supply chain.

Reclaim Finance argues that Japan's three megabanks (Mizuho, MUFG, and SMBC) maintain policies that allow continued support for the coal industry. While the banks have updated policies to restrict direct project financing for new coal plants 'in principle', these policies contain exceptions and do not apply to general corporate financing. Between October 2018 and October 2020, these banks provided $39bn, $36bn, and $32bn respectively to companies on the Global Coal Exit List. The document contrasts this with European peers like Crédit Agricole and notes increasing shareholder and activist pressure on the Japanese institutions to align with the Paris Agreement.

The document is a comprehensive educational guide designed to teach the Ojibwe language using a scientific case study on mercury. It includes a full English-Ojibwe transcript of a video explaining the mercury cycle—from industrial emissions to biomagnification in fish—and the results of a seven-year ecosystem experiment. The guide provides detailed linguistic support, including sentence breakdowns, a glossary of terms, and a list of new words created specifically for scientific concepts like 'methylmercury'. It also includes a lesson planning form for educators to implement the material as a listening and sentence-structure exercise.

Reclaim Finance argues that Barclays is a leading global financier of coal and fossil fuels, providing over $27 billion to coal companies between 2018 and 2020. The statement criticizes the bank's current policies for allowing the funding of companies with coal expansion plans and calls for a full exit from coal by 2030 in EU/OECD countries and 2040 worldwide.

The report finds that a vast majority of U.S. coal capacity is now more expensive to operate than building new wind or solar power. As of 2020, 72% of coal capacity (166 GW) was deemed uneconomic or slated for retirement by 2025. The authors argue that this 'cost crossover' is accelerating due to rapid declines in renewable costs and falling coal capacity factors. The document recommends that policymakers implement all-source competitive procurement and coal asset securitization to transition to cleaner, cheaper energy portfolios while managing the financial risks of early plant retirement.

The document argues that Indonesia's current LPG subsidy system is regressive, benefiting wealthy households more than the poor, and places a significant burden on the state budget. It proposes a shift to targeted subsidies using biometric verification and direct benefit transfers. The report analyzes how India and Mexico used economic crises as opportunities to reform fuel pricing and strengthen social safety nets. It also warns that shifting from LPG to electric induction stoves could increase greenhouse gas emissions due to Indonesia's coal-heavy energy mix.

The report identifies thousands of mining concessions and dozens of coal-fired power plants (PLTU) located in areas high-risk for earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and landslides. It argues that a 'science-policy gap' exists where economic interests of oligarchs override disaster mitigation and environmental safety. The document highlights specific cases, such as the PLTU in Teluk Sepang and the mining in Wadas, to illustrate how these projects exacerbate disaster risks and marginalize local communities. It further claims that the Minerba Law and the Omnibus Law (Job Creation Law) weaken environmental protections and facilitate the expansion of risky extractive projects.

The report identifies thousands of mining concessions and dozens of coal-fired power plants located in areas prone to earthquakes, floods, and landslides across Indonesia. It argues that a 'science-policy gap' exists where the Indonesian government ignores disaster risks to facilitate investments for 'extractive oligarchs,' often through National Strategic Projects (PSN). The document details specific case studies, such as the Panau Coal Steam-Power Plant and the Bener Dam project, to illustrate how these investments increase community vulnerability and environmental degradation. It concludes that recent legislative changes, including the Job Creation Law (Omnibus Law), further exacerbate these risks by loosening environmental regulations and centralizing spatial planning authority.

Reclaim Finance asserts that the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) is failing to drive a real movement away from coal despite growing membership. The organization highlights that most financial institution members continue to fund coal development, and co-chairs Canada and the United Kingdom, along with members like Mexico and Germany, exhibit contradictory behaviors such as planning new mines or power plants. The document calls for the PPCA to reform its criteria to include the entire coal sector and align with Paris Agreement timetables ahead of COP26.

Reclaim Finance asserts that the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) has failed to translate its membership growth into a real coal phase-out. The organization highlights that most financial members continue to fund coal, and several member states, including Canada and the UK, are pursuing new coal projects or exports. It calls for a reform of PPCA principles to include mines and infrastructure and demands that financial institutions adopt policies based on the Coal Policy Tool to meet Paris Agreement timelines.

Chile's updated 2020 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) introduces a "social pillar" designed to align climate action with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This framework includes eight criteria for the design and monitoring of climate measures, specifically addressing the decarbonization of the power matrix and the closure of 28 coal-fired power plants by 2040. To support this, Chile launched a process in June 2020 to develop a "Strategy for Just Transition" by 2021, utilizing a three-tier governance structure involving government, companies, unions, and communities. While the NDC is praised for integrating social issues across all policy areas and establishing monitoring mechanisms, labor unions have expressed concerns regarding the government's legitimacy and the exclusion of workers from the NDC enhancement process.

Colorado has established a first-of-its-kind legislative framework to manage the transition from a coal-based energy economy, creating a Just Transition Office and Advisory Committee to support workers and rural communities. The state's strategy includes 11 recommendations for worker retraining and community economic diversification, alongside a securitization mechanism (SB-236) to accelerate the closure of uneconomic coal plants. However, the initiative faces significant challenges, including a lack of clear funding, severe understaffing of the Just Transition Office, and a narrow focus that excludes the natural gas and petroleum sectors.