Search Climate Insights Directory

A case study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) detailing a project in Shanxi, China, that transitioned displaced coal workers into the tourism sector, creating over 1,000 jobs and integrating 'just transition' principles into provincial government planning.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) examines the structural inertia preventing a transition away from coal in China's power system. Despite a record decline in coal's share of power generation and the rapid expansion of renewables, coal capacity continues to grow due to high commissioning rates, strong project approvals, and institutional protections such as capacity payments and inflexible dispatch rules. The report highlights a significant gap between official retirement targets and actual progress, urging the development of a national roadmap for coal phase-down in the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.

The report 'Boom and Bust Coal 2025' tracks global coal-fired power plant developments in 2024, highlighting a stark contrast between the decline of coal in the EU and UK and a surge in new construction in China and India.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) examines the conflicting dynamics of China's energy transition in 2024, where record-breaking clean energy expansion is occurring simultaneously with a significant increase in coal power construction and approvals.

This report by Global Energy Monitor examines China's coal mining sector, highlighting a record-breaking production of 4,700 million tonnes in 2023 and a massive pipeline of proposed new capacity. It details the environmental impact, specifically the sector's role as a primary source of global coal mine methane emissions, and analyzes the tension between China's energy security needs and its 'dual-carbon' climate goals.

The research paper argues that China is justified in its skepticism toward the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project. The author contends that the project would undermine China's energy security by increasing dependence on a single source, create unnecessary capital expenditure due to market oversaturation in the Bohai Economic Rim, and conflict with China's goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030.

The report "Boom and Bust 2024," published by Global Energy Monitor and several partner organizations, tracks the global development of coal-fired power plants. It highlights a contradictory trend where, despite global efforts to phase out coal, total operational capacity reached a historic high in 2023, driven largely by significant expansions in China.

A briefing by Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reports that China is at risk of missing multiple 2025 climate commitments due to an acceleration in coal power permitting and construction. Despite official pledges to strictly control new coal power, an estimated 114 GW of capacity was approved and 70 GW started construction in 2023. The report argues that this expansion is driven by rigid grid management and a perceived 'policy window' before 2025, leading to significant risks of future overcapacity and stranded assets.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) analyzes a surge in coal power permitting and construction in China during the first half of 2023. The report finds that new projects are being approved at a pace of more than one plant per week, often ignoring central government policies that restrict new coal to a 'supporting' role for clean energy. The authors argue that this 'coal rush' is driven by a desire to maximize carbon-intensive capacity before the 2030 emissions peak, outdated grid management, and a shift away from fossil gas, potentially undermining China's long-term climate commitments.

This case study examines power system decarbonization pathways in Northwestern China, focusing specifically on Shaanxi province for the period 2021–2030 to provide a model for coal-dependent regions.

This report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) provides a mine-level assessment of global coal mine methane emissions, finding that operating mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane per year. This volume rivals emissions from the oil and gas sectors and is significantly higher than many national inventories report. The analysis identifies China, specifically Shanxi province, as the primary source of these emissions and warns that proposed new mine projects could add another 11.3 million tonnes annually, potentially locking in emissions equivalent to the coal-based CO2 emissions of the United States.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and Oxpeckers analyzes global coal mine proposals, finding that 2,277 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of new capacity is under development. This expansion is led by China, Australia, India, and Russia, and is largely inconsistent with the 1.5°C warming limit of the Paris climate agreement.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the landscape of green and climate finance in China, highlighting the gap between current investment levels and the funding required to meet climate targets. It analyzes the dominance of the public sector, regional investment patterns, and the barriers preventing private capital from scaling, while offering recommendations for policy improvements and the greening of outbound investments.

This case study examines the restoration of the Loess Plateau in north-central China between 1994 and 2005. The initiative, involving the Chinese government and the World Bank, focused on curbing soil erosion and improving food security through terracing, afforestation, and the 'Grain for Green' program. While the project achieved significant reductions in sediment runoff and increased per capita grain output, the document highlights long-term sustainability challenges related to species selection, water shortages, and the reliance on government subsidies.

This issue brief analyzes China's clean power sector, detailing its massive growth in electricity capacity, its continued heavy reliance on coal, and the government's strategic shift toward renewable energy and emissions controls under the 12th Five Year Plan.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the intersection of lead pollution and human rights, detailing the severe health impacts on children and adults and how these impacts violate international legal standards regarding the right to life, health, housing, and information.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the severe health impacts of lead contamination and its implications for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, health, adequate housing, and access to information. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of children and workers, particularly in developing countries, and identifies key sources of exposure such as leaded fuel, paint, and battery manufacturing.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzes China's utility-scale wind and solar expansion as of June 2026, focusing on the 'megabases' strategy in northwestern and northern regions. While China leads the world in prospective capacity, the report highlights critical bottlenecks in power transmission and the persistent role of coal in the energy system, which risks curtailing renewable output and entrenching fossil fuel use.

This report analyzes the fiscal implications of the clean energy transition for the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), focusing on the reliance of government budgets on fossil fuel revenues and the impact of existing subsidies.

This briefing paper provides a detailed status update as of April 10, 2024, on the climate policies, energy trends, and bilateral engagement between China and the United States. It outlines China's progress toward its 2030 and 2060 carbon goals, the U.S. implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the diplomatic efforts to maintain climate cooperation despite broader geopolitical tensions.