The coal industry is finally closing more plants than it’s building
To meet global demand, producers have continued to burn coal at a rate that’s incompatible with international climate goals and a stable climate. During the first half of 2020, the world’s coal-generated power capacity shrank for the first time since at least the 1950s, according to the non-profit Global Energy Monitor. New plants haven’t entirely stopped coming online: The world added 18.3 GW of new coal-fired generation.