China, the world’s largest public financier of coal, stated just a few weeks before COP26 that it will stop investing in international coal projects. It instilled hope in countries seeking to implement low-carbon energy plans, as well as fear in those that believe they cannot live without coal.
The announcement might result in the cancellation of more than 40 gigatonnes (GW) of pipeline projects in 20 countries, despite the fact that China has not invested in any new coal projects since the beginning of 2021.
Pakistan is one of the Belt and Road Initiative countries where coal has played a significant role in energy projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Nine (8.22 GW) of the 18 ‘priority’ energy projects (11.87 GW) supported by China at a cost of roughly USD 19.55 million were completed.
Four of them are complete and have been supplying energy to the national grid since 2017: the Huaneng Shandong Ruyi-Sahiwal Coal Power Plant, the Port Qasim Coal-fired Power Plant, the HubCo Coal-fired Power Plant, and the Sindh-Engro Thar Coal Power Plant. Their combined energy production is 4.62 GW.
