Coal isn’t dying. It’s mutating.
Just weeks before COP30, new data shows the world’s dirtiest fuel is finding fresh ways to survive.
The 2025 Global Coal Exit List from Urgewald reveals 47 new coal-to-chemical projects in development, set to burn at least 145 million tonnes of coal each year.
Most are in China where 7% of coal already feeds chemical plants producing ammonia, methanol and gas.
Urgewald director Heffa Schuecking said: “Using coal to produce chemicals is the dirtiest thing you can do with it.”
The process emits far more carbon than burning coal for power and consumes huge volumes of water.
Greenpeace found Shenhua’s Ordos plant in Inner Mongolia used 10 tonnes of water for each tonne of product, depleting local supplies and damaging farmland.
Many of China’s coal chemical projects are in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang where human rights groups say ethnic minorities face land and water loss linked to mining. The Uyghur Human Rights Project said: “Without land, there is no life.”
India follows with 14 new coal chemical projects supported by government rebates.
Indonesia has six in the pipeline, with Kazakhstan, Botswana and Pakistan also planning new plants. Urgewald said these projects will lock countries into decades of high emissions and environmental harm.
Coal mining expansion continues too.
The report lists 354 companies developing new or expanded mines across 35 countries. Coal India remains the largest producer and developer, with 90 projects planned.
The US government has also declared an “energy emergency” and opened 53,000 square kilometres of federal land for coal leases, including areas near Zion National Park.
The report identifies 303 developers planning new coal power plants in 33 countries. China Energy Investment tops the list with 54 projects totalling almost 48 GW of capacity.
Despite repeated pledges, 95% of coal companies still have no credible phase-out plan.
Only 161 firms have set exit dates and just 76 align with the Paris Agreement. Between 2022 and 2024 commercial banks provided $385 billion (£304 billion) in financing to companies on the list.
Ms Schuecking said: “Our data shows the coal industry is not transitioning. Financial institutions that care about climate change must cut ties now.”
World still clinging to coal appeared first on Energy Live News.