Sparklines
China’s Coal Power Boom Is More Complex Than It Seems
The country permitted more new coal plants than all other nations combined last year, but the impact that will have on emissions isn’t clear cut.
Emissions rise from the cooling towers of a coal-fired power station in Tongling, Anhui province, China.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
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Last year, although it built few new coal power plants, China permitted more than it had since 2015: 106 gigawatts’ worth. That’s more than six times the amount of coal power permitted in 2022 across the rest of the world.