PARIS, April 27 — The number of coal-fired power plants in the pipeline worldwide declined in 2021, according to research released yesterday, but the fossil fuel most responsible for global warming still generated record CO2 emissions, threatening Paris climate goals.
A record-low 34 countries have new coal plants under consideration, down from 41 in January 2021, according to the annual Global Energy Monitor report, Tracking the Global Coal Plant Pipeline. Most of that growth is in China, which accounts for just over half of new coal-fired power in the pipeline. South and Southeast Asia are responsible for another 37 per cent.
“In China, plans for new coal-fired power plants have continued to be announced,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst for the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and a co-author of the report.