Global fossil fuel subsidies almost doubled in 2021

Global public subsidies for fossil fuels almost doubled to $700 billion in 2021. Despite the huge profits of fossil fuel companies, the subsidies soared as governments sought to shield…Continue readingGlobal fossil fuel subsidies almost doubled in 2021

New Hope’s New Acland Stage III coal project receives key approval

New Hope Group has received key approval for its New Acland Stage III coal mine project in Queensland, Australia. Queensland Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said that the government…Continue readingNew Hope’s New Acland Stage III coal project receives key approval

Spot Australian thermal coal has surged

The spot price of Australian thermal coal is higher than that of coking coal, an unprecedented situation that highlights just how the global market for the polluting fuel has…Continue readingSpot Australian thermal coal has surged

Droughts push China towards coal power

Despite enviable earnings, shares of Three Gorges Renewables are down 15% this year and trade at 20 times forward earnings, half the level of a year ago. Strict policy…Continue readingDroughts push China towards coal power

Australian Federal Government to back new fossil fuel projects that ‘stack up’ economically and environmentally

The Albanese government will continue to support new fossil fuel projects so long as they “stack up” from an economic and environmental perspective, the federal resources minister says. Madeleine…Continue readingAustralian Federal Government to back new fossil fuel projects that ‘stack up’ economically and environmentally

US banks tout fossil fuel credentials

In recent years, Wall Street firms have tried to talk up their commitment to the environment and social justice. Now they are singing a different tune. Large US banks…Continue readingUS banks tout fossil fuel credentials

Many countries continue to invest in coal

To understand why it is proving so hard to break up with coal, we worked with an international team of around 35 researchers to investigate the political economy drivers…Continue readingMany countries continue to invest in coal

Germany increases reliance on coal and oil

Coal – France, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands have all announced plans to reactivate old coal power plants. But nowhere are the plans as extensive as in Germany, which…Continue readingGermany increases reliance on coal and oil

Turkey’s new power plant exposes ‘huge contradictions’ of net zero pledge

The $2.17 billion Hunutlu coal fired power plant is the largest foreign direct investment in Turkey by China. Despite the efforts of campaigners, and several pending legal challenges, the…Continue readingTurkey’s new power plant exposes ‘huge contradictions’ of net zero pledge

Australian Prime Minister rules out banning fossil fuel projects

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Labor will not support a moratorium on fossil fuel projects. “That’s not in our policy and we won’t be implementing that policy,” Albanese…Continue readingAustralian Prime Minister rules out banning fossil fuel projects

Gautam Adani ramps up share of coal imports as power crisis grips India

India’s thermal coal imports hit a monthly record in June of 20.9 million tonnes, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government called for increased purchases in order to overcome a…Continue readingGautam Adani ramps up share of coal imports as power crisis grips India

China speeding up approvals for new coal plants

In the first quarter of 2022, Chinese regulators gave the green light to coal plants with a total capacity of 8.63 gigawatts. That is nearly half of the entire…Continue readingChina speeding up approvals for new coal plants

Hungary declares ‘energy emergency’ over threat of fuel shortages

Hungary’s government has declared an “energy emergency” in response to supply disruptions and skyrocketing energy prices in Europe, an official said. There is “unlikely to be enough gas in…Continue readingHungary declares ‘energy emergency’ over threat of fuel shortages

Australian Queensland state government gives environmental approval to coalmine expansion

Queensland has granted environmental approval to a plan to expand an open-cut coalmine near Toowoomba and extend its life for another 12 years, in a move anti-coal campaigners say…Continue readingAustralian Queensland state government gives environmental approval to coalmine expansion

Dutch join Germany, Austria, in reverting to coal

The Netherlands said it would lift all restrictions on power stations fired by the fossil fuel, which were previously limited to just over a third of output. Berlin and…Continue readingDutch join Germany, Austria, in reverting to coal

Germany fires up coal plants to avert gas shortage as Russia cuts supply

Germany will significantly increase its use of coal to preserve energy supplies ahead of the winter, as Russian cuts to gas exports threaten shortfalls in Europe’s largest economy. Russia…Continue readingGermany fires up coal plants to avert gas shortage as Russia cuts supply

Global coal consumption: Spotlight on China’s consumption for power generation

“China’s influence on coal markets is difficult to overstate”, says the International Energy Agency’s Coal 2021 report, which was published in mid-December China’s overall coal use (i.e, power plus…Continue readingGlobal coal consumption: Spotlight on China’s consumption for power generation

Old King Coal: price reaches highest level in more than 200 years, on track for $500

Coal prices are soaring, hitting $462 per tonne today, up from $186 on the 23rd of February and likely to pass $500 this year. Russia is Europe’s largest supplier of thermal…Continue readingOld King Coal: price reaches highest level in more than 200 years, on track for $500

Coal, oil price surges on Ukraine war make Asia’s richest richer

Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani are profiting from a surge in global commodity prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, burnishing their fossil-fuel credentials even as Asia’s richest men…Continue readingCoal, oil price surges on Ukraine war make Asia’s richest richer

EU accepts it will burn more coal in move away from Russian gas

Brussels has given the green light for the EU to burn more coal over the next decade as it tries to end the use of Russian gas and oil.…Continue readingEU accepts it will burn more coal in move away from Russian gas

India relaxes environment rules for coal mines, citing heatwave

India has relaxed environmental compliance rules for coal mines seeking to ramp up production as power outages exacerbate a sweltering heatwave, a government notice showed. Coal makes up more…Continue readingIndia relaxes environment rules for coal mines, citing heatwave

Heat wave sparks blackouts, questions on India’s coal usage

An unusually early and brutal heat wave is scorching parts of India, with acute power shortages affecting millions as demand for electricity surges to record levels. Supplies of coal…Continue readingHeat wave sparks blackouts, questions on India’s coal usage

Boom and Bust Coal 2022

The world has more than 2,400 coal-fired power plants, for a total capacity of nearly 2,100 gigawatts (GW). An additional 176GW of coal capacity is under construction at more…Continue readingBoom and Bust Coal 2022

With coal surge, China puts energy security and growth before climate

Chinese leaders pledged ahead of climate negotiations in Glasgow, Scotland, last November to peak national emissions before 2030 and stop building coal power plants abroad. A study published Friday…Continue readingWith coal surge, China puts energy security and growth before climate

China doubles down on coal

China is in the throes of a building boom to jump start its economy. The government of President Xi Jinping has “scrambled in recent months to try to reverse…Continue readingChina doubles down on coal

Narrabri coal mine expansion gets final approval from NSW planning commission

A $400 million coal mine expansion that would result in almost half a billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions has been conditionally approved by New South Wales planning authorities.…Continue readingNarrabri coal mine expansion gets final approval from NSW planning commission

Medium- and long-term contracts signed by Chinese coal suppliers shall account for over 80% of their resources: economic planner

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s top economic planner, will launch special investigation into the implementation of medium- and long-term contracts signed by coal suppliers in…Continue readingMedium- and long-term contracts signed by Chinese coal suppliers shall account for over 80% of their resources: economic planner

Chinese government to help run coal power plants at full capacity

China will help its coal-fired power plants run at full capacity, the government has announced, raising further alarm about the fate of Beijing’s climate pledges. It was decided in…Continue readingChinese government to help run coal power plants at full capacity

The great climate backslide: How governments are regressing worldwide

From the U.S. to China, in Europe, India and Japan, fossil fuels are staging a comeback, clean energy stocks are taking a hammering, and the prospects for speeding the…Continue readingThe great climate backslide: How governments are regressing worldwide

China’s coal production hit record levels in 2021

China’s coal production reached record levels last year as the state encouraged miners to ramp up their fossil fuel output to safeguard the country’s energy supplies through the winter…Continue readingChina’s coal production hit record levels in 2021

China fires up giant coal power plant in face of calls for cuts

China, under fire for approving new coal power stations as other countries try to curb greenhouse gases, has completed the first 1,000-megawatt unit of the Shanghaimiao plant, the biggest…Continue readingChina fires up giant coal power plant in face of calls for cuts

Coal power’s sharp rebound is taking it to a new record in 2021, threatening net zero goals

After falling in 2019 and 2020, global power generation from coal is expected to jump by 9% in 2021 to an all-time high. Depending on weather patterns and economic…Continue readingCoal power’s sharp rebound is taking it to a new record in 2021, threatening net zero goals

Study – The Expanding Coal Power Fleet in Southeast Asia

Coal combustion for power generation made up 30% of global CO2 emissions in 2018. To achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement to keep global average temperatures below 2°C,…Continue readingStudy – The Expanding Coal Power Fleet in Southeast Asia

The world is burning the most coal ever to keep the lights on

The world likely will generate more electricity from the dirtiest source this year than ever before, indicating just how far the energy transition still needs to run in the…Continue readingThe world is burning the most coal ever to keep the lights on

‘Running out of time’: Asia struggles to kick coal addiction

Hopes for a cleaner future have been fired by pledges from top coal consumer China and other countries to go carbon neutral, but much of the region is making…Continue reading‘Running out of time’: Asia struggles to kick coal addiction

China’s pledge on overseas coal — by the numbers

China’s promise to stop financing coal power abroad is a positive step, but researchers say the emissions savings pale in comparison to those from its domestic coal use. “China…Continue readingChina’s pledge on overseas coal — by the numbers

Reducing CO₂ emissions by targeting the world’s hyper-polluting power plants

Maps of fossil-fueled power plants’ CO2 emissions. Taller spikes indicate that plants emit CO2 at higher levels. Colors signify plants’ primary fuels (blue = coal, yellow = natural gas,…Continue readingReducing CO₂ emissions by targeting the world’s hyper-polluting power plants

Global electric power demand returns to pre-pandemic levels

Carbon dioxide emissions from the global electric power sector rebounded in the first half of 2021 to above pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis, signalling that the world has…Continue readingGlobal electric power demand returns to pre-pandemic levels