Coal-fired power plants are the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, producing a fifth of global annual emissions. To reach Net Zero by the middle of the century, a fundamental transformation in the global approach to coal is essential and urgent. This requires critical attention to three interlinked enabling conditions: just transition, technology and innovation, and finance.

This briefing draws on the Carbon Trust’s experience of working directly with governments and development organisations on the coal-to-clean transition across Asia and Africa, as well as analysis of primary and secondary sources, to assesses global progress on the three enabling conditions, address common misconceptions about the pace and nature of the coal-to-clean transition, and offer workable recommendations for policymakers to help accelerate the pace of change.

Across the three enabling conditions, this briefing highlights that:

• Policymakers must manage the tension between the urgency of the coal-to-clean transition from a climate perspective and the length of time it takes to properly plan for, manage and minimise potential socioeconomic impacts.
• To deliver an energy system fit for growing energy demand, coal-dependent countries should seize untapped renewable energy potential. However, ramping up renewable energy penetration within the power and heat systems is only one element of the technology and innovation needed. It must be complemented by improvements to grid infrastructure and transmission system upgrades, as well as electricity storage capacity to ensure a reliable supply. This is also true of heat networks, which are critical sources of energy for countries with colder climates.
• There is no “right” way to fund the accelerated retirement of coal-fired power generation. Financing is likely to continue to be bespoke to a plant’s characteristics, finances, and legal structures.