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The report 'Boom & Bust Coal 2026' by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the global coal power portfolio in 2025, highlighting a divergence where coal capacity continued to grow despite a decrease in actual coal-fired electricity generation. The document details regional trends, noting that new coal development is increasingly concentrated in China and India, while other regions like Latin America have ceased new coal projects. It also examines the specific challenges facing Ukraine's energy infrastructure due to Russian attacks and the debate over whether to restore old coal plants or transition to decentralized renewable energy.

The April 2025 report "Boom and Bust Coal" by Global Energy Monitor and its partners analyzes global trends in coal-fired power generation. It highlights a global trend toward decommissioning coal plants, contrasted by record-breaking construction starts in China and new proposals in India. The report specifically details Russia's divergence from global trends through its continued planning and construction of new coal capacity to support regional energy demands and the domestic coal industry.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the environmental, climate, health, and financial risks associated with the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure. It highlights how improper closure and the proliferation of abandoned wells lead to methane leaks and toxic contamination, while corporate strategies and regulatory loopholes often shift the massive financial burden of cleanup from operators to the public.

This case study describes the community-led response in Tonawanda, New York, to the closure of the NRG Energy-owned Huntley Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant. It details the formation of the Huntley Alliance, a coalition that lobbied for state funding to mitigate tax revenue losses and developed a long-term economic vision called "Tonawanda Tomorrow" to diversify the local economy and redevelop waterfront property.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal power plant trends in 2020, highlighting a stark divergence between China's rapid expansion and a general global decline. While many countries in the US, EU, and Southeast Asia are decommissioning plants or canceling new projects due to financial pressures and climate goals, China's surge in new capacity offset global reductions, leading to a net increase in global coal capacity for the first time since 2015.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting as part of the Life After Coal campaign and other environmental justice networks, submitted written objections on July 30, 2020, against Eskom's application for a once-off suspension of compliance with New Plant Minimum Emission Standards (MES) and a variation request for the Grootvlei Power Station. The CER argues that the application is procedurally invalid, lacks a detailed decommissioning schedule, and unlawfully seeks to extend polluting activities beyond the station's end-of-life, thereby violating constitutional rights to a healthy environment.

The March 2019 report 'Boom and Bust 2019' by Global Energy Monitor, the Sierra Club, and Greenpeace tracks the decline in global coal-fired power plant development. It highlights a three-year trend of falling capacity growth, driven by political and economic constraints, while noting that China remains a significant exception due to the resumption of previously stalled projects and proposed capacity increases.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted a letter to the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs on 27 November 2017. The letter highlights findings from a study by Meridian Economics regarding Eskom's financial crisis and the viability of coal-fired power in South Africa, advocating for the accelerated decommissioning of specific power stations and the curtailment of new construction to save costs and improve air quality.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting on behalf of several environmental organizations, issued a formal request to Eskom on 25 April 2016 for emission reduction plans, compliance roadmaps, and decommissioning schedules for all 15 of its coal-fired power stations. The CER asserts that existing compliance roadmaps provided by the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO) are insufficient to ensure Eskom meets the emission standards set in its atmospheric emission licences (AELs) and the minimum emission standards (MES).

This document is an internal appeal submitted by groundWork, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), against the deemed refusal by Eskom Holdings SOC Limited to provide records regarding its compliance with emission standards and the decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations.

This document is a Task Order (No. 598) issued by Eskom for engineering and project management services to conduct a pre-feasibility study on a 'fleet renewal strategy' for four specific coal-fired power stations. The study aims to evaluate alternatives to the current decommissioning strategy, which is based on a 60-year technical life for coal stations.

This document consists of draft minutes and presentation slides from an Eskom Board breakaway meeting held on 18 and 19 April 2016. The materials detail a proposed shift in the 'Generation Fleet Renewal Strategy,' moving from decommissioning power stations based on age to a strategy based on economic viability and balance sheet strength.

A letter from Eskom to the Centre for Environmental Rights clarifying the distinction between the shutdown and decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations, noting that while shutdown dates are based on a 50-year plant life, firm decommissioning dates and detailed plans do not yet exist.

This document is a response from Eskom to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) regarding a request for additional information on the postponement application for the Camden Power Station to comply with Minimum Emission Standards (MES). Eskom states that the station will not comply with 'new plant' standards for particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), or nitrogen oxides (NOx) before its expected decommissioning between 2020 and 2023.

This briefing, dated 17 July 2014, is a response from Eskom to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) regarding a postponement application for the Hendrina Power Station to comply with Minimum Emission Standards (MES). Eskom outlines current stack emission limits, its lack of plans to upgrade the station for certain pollutants, and provides ambient air quality monitoring data showing non-compliance for particulate matter.

This document is a formal response from Eskom to a request for information submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). The request, identified as PAIA QUERY 10637, concerns generation atmospheric emissions license compliance and decommissioning. Eskom agrees to provide access to several identified records but denies access to others or severs specific parts of records based on the Promotion of Information Act (Act 2 of 2000).

This document is a formal response from Eskom to an appeal filed by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) regarding the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) of the Komati Power Station. Eskom argues that the requested variations to the AEL would make the station's operation untenable from 2020 onwards and maintains that its application for a postponement of Minimum Emission Standards (MES) was lawful and technically justified.

This document is a formal response from Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd to the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) regarding a request for information under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA). The response details which records related to the Kendal power station compliance notice and general maintenance/decommissioning plans are granted, refused, or do not exist.

This document is a variation of an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) issued on 31 March 2015 by the Nkangala District Municipality to Eskom Holdings SOC Limited for the Komati Power Station. The licence, valid until 31 March 2019, regulates emissions from listed activities including solid fuel combustion, petroleum storage, and coal handling, while setting specific emission limits and monitoring requirements for particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

This document is a variation of the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) for Eskom Holdings SOC Limited's Kriel Power Station, issued by the Nkangala District Municipality on 31 March 2015. The variation follows a postponement decision and establishes updated emission limits, monitoring requirements, and general conditions for the station's operation until 31 March 2019.