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The global pipeline of proposed coal power plants has decreased by 76% since 2015. As of July 2021, 44 economies have formally committed to no new coal, while another 40 are positioned to do so because they have no projects in their pre-construction pipeline. However, 37 economies still consider new coal, with China, India, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Turkey, and Bangladesh accounting for 82% of the remaining global pipeline. The report provides detailed profiles of these economies, highlighting the role of Chinese financing and the impact of local opposition and environmental concerns in halting projects.

The report identifies 27 GW of planned coal power plants in India as "zombie" assets that are superfluous to the country's electricity requirements for FY 2030. It asserts that India can meet its peak demand of 301 GW by FY 2030 through existing construction, solar capacity, and battery storage rather than new coal. Cancelling these projects would free up approximately Rs. 247,421 cr in capital expenditure and provide annual savings of Rs. 43,219 cr by substituting coal with renewables and storage.

New wind and solar power installations in Turkey are now more cost-effective than operating existing coal plants that rely on imports. With international hard coal prices reaching a decade high and renewable costs falling, Turkey faces high import costs—potentially reaching 5 billion USD in 2021—while facing potential EU carbon border levies. Despite the economic viability of renewables, utility-scale solar growth is hindered by transformer capacity limits and restrictions on power purchase agreements.

Ember argues that the assumption that biomass burning is carbon neutral is problematic and that the resulting reliance on BECCS for negative emissions in National Grid's FES scenarios is subject to high uncertainty. The organization advocates for BECCS to be treated as a 'technology of last resort' and requests that FES2022 include at least one net-zero scenario with very low or no BECCS deployment to better quantify trade-offs with nature-based solutions and behavior changes.

The report contends that Poland's proposed expansion of electricity-only gas plants is out of step with climate modelling and faces significant regulatory and financial risks from EU policies. It highlights that the EU's 'Fit for 55' package, the EU Methane Strategy, and the EU taxonomy could increase operational costs, restrict funding from the Modernisation Fund, and block financing for projects that do not meet strict emissions criteria. Modelling suggests Poland could meet electricity demand with a maximum gas capacity of 6 GW between 2025 and 2030, far less than currently planned, risking a lock-in of gas dependency beyond 2050.

The briefing analyzes pathways from the Climate Change Committee (CCC), National Grid, and Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) to demonstrate that the UK power sector can be nearly fossil-free by 2035. It argues that phasing out unabated gas will reduce reliance on expensive imports, lower electricity bills, and stimulate a green industrial revolution. While the models differ on the roles of nuclear and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), they agree on the centrality of wind and solar power and the need for increased energy storage and hydrogen capacity.

The report by ClientEarth, WWF Italy, and ECCO think tank opposes Enel's plan to convert the Federico II plant in Brindisi from coal to gas. It argues that the project is not needed for security of supply, risks creating stranded assets and overcapacity in Southern Italy, and causes adverse climate impacts through CO2 and methane emissions. The authors contend that the project contradicts EU and national decarbonisation goals and should be rejected by the Ministry for Ecological Transition.

The report identifies 27 GW of planned coal power plants in India as "zombie" assets that are superfluous to the country's electricity requirements for FY 2030. It argues that India can meet both aggregate and peak demand growth through its existing construction pipeline and the expansion of renewable energy (RE) and battery storage. The analysis suggests that cancelling these projects would save Rs. 247,421 crore in capital expenditure and potentially reduce annual power purchase costs by Rs. 43,219 crore. The report warns that building these plants would lock consumers into expensive contracts, create stranded assets, and jeopardize India's target of 450 GW of RE by 2030.

Ember argues that the EU should lead by example in reducing coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, proposing a differentiated approach to state aid based on the type of methane project. The organization opposes state aid for 'Drained CMM' from active mines to avoid extending mine lifetimes, but supports aid for Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) destruction and Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) capture, provided strict safeguards are in place to ensure these measures do not increase coal production or profitability.

Ember's response to the UK government's call for evidence on biomass argues that the assumption of carbon neutrality for biomass power is scientifically unsupported and that such generation is more expensive than alternatives. The organization advocates for tightening sustainability regulations to exclude feedstocks from high-carbon or biodiverse forests and suggests that limited sustainable biomass should be diverted from the power sector toward construction and hard-to-abate industries. Ember also recommends unbundling residual and negative emissions budgets in UK carbon accounting and exploring lower-risk negative emissions routes, such as nature-based solutions and domestic energy crops on degraded land, over large-scale BECCS projects.

The statement argues that 100% clean power is a prerequisite for global carbon neutrality by 2050, as established by the IEA. It calls on P4G member countries to leverage recent momentum from the IEA and G7 to transition their power sectors away from fossil fuels, particularly coal, noting that the power sector must reach net zero well before the wider economy to enable the decarbonization of other sectors.

A small number of countries, primarily Turkey, Ukraine, and those in the Western Balkans, are responsible for the majority of coal power air pollution in Europe. Ukraine dominates PM10 emissions, while Turkey leads in NOx pollution. The report highlights that most of the most polluting plants are over 30 years old, though Turkey is an exception with some young plants among the top polluters. Many Energy Community countries failed to meet 2019 emission ceilings, and the report argues that subsidies and rehabilitation costs should instead be redirected toward the region's significant renewable energy potential.

Ember analyzes the German Ministry of Economics (BMWi) formula for lignite compensation, arguing that three key assumptions lead to a systematic overvaluation of payments. By adjusting power and CO2 prices to more recent data, accounting for avoidable fixed costs, and reducing the compensation period to three years, Ember suggests the total payment could be reduced from €4.4 billion to as low as €343 million.

Ember estimates that Drax's proposed BECCS plant would cost UK energy bill-payers £31.7 billion over a 25-year lifetime, adding approximately £16 annually to each household's energy bill. The report warns that the project's ability to provide negative emissions is highly uncertain due to the carbon neutrality assumptions of woody biomass, which may instead result in net emissions in worst-case scenarios. It argues that relying on BECCS for the UK's net-zero targets constitutes a serious policy risk and recommends tightening biomass regulations and exploring alternative negative emission sources.

The document identifies an "unspoken consensus" among the UK, EU, and US that transitioning to zero-carbon power by the 2030s is essential for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. It analyzes official pathways, noting a shared commitment to rapidly phasing out coal and reducing fossil gas, while dramatically scaling up wind and solar power. The briefing highlights a "credibility gap" in other OECD nations, such as Japan and South Korea, which have net-zero targets but lack corresponding coal phase-out commitments.

The report argues that ENGIE's transition strategy is not aligned with the Paris Agreement due to the lack of confirmed shutdown dates for 70% of its remaining coal fleet and a reliance on converting coal plants to fossil gas and biomass. While ENGIE aims for renewables to provide 58% of its power by 2030, the document identifies significant financial and regulatory risks associated with its gas and biomass assets, including the potential for stranded assets and high methane emissions from shale gas procurement.

In 2020, renewables generated 38% of the EU's electricity, surpassing fossil-fired generation (37%) for the first time. This shift was driven primarily by wind and solar, while coal generation fell by 20% to 13% of the total mix. However, the report notes that the transition remains too slow to meet 2030 and 2050 climate targets, as gas generation remains high and nuclear output saw a record 10% decline.

Ember challenges the assumption that biomass is carbon neutral, noting that current practices may actually contribute to climate change. The organization argues that the scale of land required for energy crops to support BECCS would cause significant environmental and food security issues. Furthermore, Ember highlights the high public cost of subsidizing bioenergy, suggesting that funds would be more effectively spent on wind, solar, or forest restoration.

In 2020, renewables became the EU's primary electricity source for the first time, generating 38% of electricity. While wind and solar growth remained robust despite the pandemic, the report argues that deployment must nearly triple to meet 2030 Green Deal targets. Coal generation fell by 20% in 2020, though this decline was partially offset by increased gas generation and a record 10% drop in nuclear output. Consequently, Europe's electricity carbon intensity fell to 226 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour in 2020, a 29% reduction since 2015.

Ember's analysis of Germany's first hard coal phase-out auction reveals that the state awarded €317 million to 11 plants, many of which were already economically unviable. The report finds that 93% of the German hard coal fleet has been running at a loss since late 2018, collectively losing over €1 billion. Ember argues that the current phase-out model is inefficient, as it may lead to the closure of newer, more efficient plants while compensating older units that would have closed due to market forces regardless of subsidies.