In 2023, global coal power capacity surged due to new plant constructions in China, challenging efforts to curb pollution.
Max Bearak reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- In 2023, coal-fired power capacity increased globally, led by China and accompanied by a reduction in plant retirements in the West.
- New coal facilities, although less polluting than their predecessors, challenge global climate targets due to their extended operational life spans.
- Despite broad international agreements to reduce reliance on coal, its usage persists, especially in rapidly industrializing Asian nations.
Key quote:
"Right now, coal’s future is a two-part story: What do we do about currently operating coal plants, and then, how do we make sure the last coal plant that will ever exist is one that’s already built."
— Flora Champenois, report author
Why this matters:
Despite global efforts to combat climate change, coal remains one of the most carbon-intensive sources of energy. China's expansion of coal plants could worsen carbon emissions, contributing to climate change and its associated environmental and health impacts.
Babies born near an active coal plant in China had shorter telomeres—sections of DNA that act as caps on the ends of chromosomes—than babies born after the plant shut down, according to a 2018 study.
