Decarbonization
How Far Are We From Phasing Out Coal?
How Far Are We from Phasing Out Coal?
This was originally published on April 28, 2022, on Elements.
At the COP26 conference last year, 40 nations agreed to phase coal out of their energy mixes.
Despite this, in 2021, coal-fired electricity generation reached all-time highs globally, showing that eliminating coal from the energy mix will not be a simple task.
This infographic shows the aggressive phase-out of coal power that would be required in order to reach net zero goals by 2050, based on an analysis by Ember that uses data provided by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Low-Cost Comes at a High Environmental Cost
Coal-powered electricity generation rose by 9.0% in 2021 to 10,042 Terawatt-hours (TWh), marking the biggest percentage rise since 1985.
The main reason is cost. Coal is the world’s most affordable energy fuel. Unfortunately, low-cost energy comes at a high cost for the environment, with coal being the largest source of energy-related CO2 emissions.
China has the highest coal consumption, making up 54% of the world’s coal electricity generation. The country’s consumption jumped 12% between 2010 and 2020, despite coal making up a lower percentage of the country’s energy mix in relative terms.
Top Consumers | 2020 Consumption (Exajoules) | Share of global consumption |
---|---|---|
China 🇨🇳 | 82.3 | 54.3% |
India 🇮🇳 | 17.5 | 11.6% |
United States 🇺🇸 | 9.2 | 6.1% |
Japan 🇯🇵 | 4.6 | 3.0% |
South Africa 🇿🇦 | 3.5 | 2.3% |
Russia 🇷🇺 | 3.3 | 2.2% |
Indonesia 🇮🇩 | 3.3 | 2.2% |
South Korea 🇰🇷 | 3.0 | 2.0% |
Vietnam 🇻🇳 | 2.1 | 1.4% |
Germany 🇩🇪 | 1.8 | 1.2% |
Together, China and India account for 66% of global coal consumption and emit about 35% of the world’s greenhouse gasses (GHG). If you add the United States to the mix, this goes up to 72% of coal consumption and 49% of GHGs.
How Urgent is to Phase Out Coal?
According to the United Nations, emissions from current and planned fossil energy infrastructure are already more than twice the amount that would push the planet over 1.5°C of global heating, a level that scientists say could bring more intense heat, fire, storms, flooding, and drought than the present 1.2°C.
Apart from being the largest source of CO2 emissions, coal combustion is also a major threat to public health because of the fine particulate matter released into the air.
As just one example of this impact, a recent study from Harvard University estimates air pollution from fossil fuel combustion is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths globally.
The Move to Renewables
Coal-powered electricity generation must fall by 13% every year until 2030 to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals of keeping global heating to only 1.5 degrees.
To reach the mark, countries would need to speed up the shift from their current carbon-intensive pathways to renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
How fast the transition away from coal will be achieved depends on a complicated balance between carbon emissions cuts and maintaining economic growth, the latter of which is still largely dependent on coal power.
Decarbonization
The 2024 Utility Decarbonization Index
This column chart shows the top 10 rankings for the 2024 Decarbonization Index from the Annual Utility Decarbonization Report.

The 2024 Utility Decarbonization Index
Electric utilities and the power sector in the U.S. are crucial for averting the climate crisis, especially as electricity demand rises. But how do the nation’s largest electricity producers compare on the necessity of decarbonization?
In partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, we present the 2024 edition of our Annual Utility Decarbonization Index. The index uses the latest available data to track the decarbonization progress of the 47 largest investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in the United States.
The Index Ranking
The 47 IOUs featured in the Index are the largest private electricity producers in the U.S., accounting for over two-thirds of the nation’s electricity generation in 2022. As a result, these utilities’ decarbonization efforts will significantly impact the 33% of U.S. emissions that come from the power sector.
A score of five signifies that the utility is a leader in decarbonization compared to its peers. It does not mean that the utility has fully decarbonized or achieved net-zero emissions.
Here are the top 10 IOUs in this year’s ranking:
Rank | Company | Decarbonization Score |
---|---|---|
#1 | Pacific Gas and Electric | 4.6 |
#2 | Avangrid | 4.2 |
#3 | Public Service Enterprise Group | 4.1 |
#4 | NextEra Energy | 3.7 |
#5 | Dominion Energy | 3.6 |
#6 | American Electric Power | 3.4 |
#7 | Emera | 3.4 |
#8 | Fortis | 3.3 |
#9 | Sempra | 3.3 |
#10 | Constellation Energy | 3.3 |
After placing fourth last year, Pacific Gas and Electric is now #1 in the Annual Utility Decarbonization Index, thanks to significant improvements in fuel mix and emissions per customer.
The second and third-place utilities in this year’s Index, Avangrid and Public Service Enterprise Group, also greatly improved their emissions per customer figures from 2021–2022.
How Does it Work?
The Decarbonization Index uses the following six metrics to compare the current environmental efforts of the largest investor-owned utilities:
- Fuel Mix
The share of carbon-free sources such as nuclear and renewables in a company’s owned generation mix. - CO2 Emissions Intensity
The amount of CO2 emitted per megawatt-hour of electricity generated and purchased. - Total CO2 Emissions
Absolute CO2 emissions from owned and purchased electricity generation. - CO2 Emissions Per Customer
CO2 emissions from owned and purchased electricity generation per customer. - Decarbonization Goals
An evaluation of a company’s interim greenhouse gas reduction goal, ultimate net-zero target, and reported progress. - Carbon-Free Investment
The share of planned capital expenditure (CAPEX) for electricity generation allocated to carbon-free sources.
All 47 IOUs in the Decarbonization Index are scored on a scale of 0-5 for each of the six metrics. A utility’s final decarbonization score is the average of the six metrics.
The 2024 report assigns a score of zero where numbers are unreported to emphasize the importance of sustainability reporting.
In previous years, companies that did not report data for certain calculations were excluded from that metric, and their total decarbonization score was an average of five or fewer metrics, as opposed to all six.
Data for the index was pulled from company sustainability reports, quantitative ESG reporting templates from the Edison Electric Institute, and the Climate Disclosure Project’s Climate Change Questionnaire filings.
Download the 2024 Annual Utility Decarbonization Report
In addition to the Decarbonization Index, there’s much more, including:
- Inflation Reduction Act impacts
- Costs of renewables
- Year-to-year progression from the previous index
- Fuel mix rankings for the largest public utilities
- Gas utility emissions rankings
Are you interested in seeing the rest of the rankings? Download the 2024 NPUC Annual Utility Decarbonization Report and find out everything you need to know about the clean energy transition of the U.S. power sector.
Learn how the National Public Utilities Council is working toward the future of sustainable electricity.
Decarbonization
Visualized: Emission Reduction Targets by Country in 2024
This infographic shows the greenhouse gas emissions targets of all countries and their target years with data from Net Zero Tracker.

Visualized: Emission Reduction Targets by Country in 2024
Since 2021, another 40 countries have established climate goals for 2030. However, the path to net zero remains uneven.
With average national warming already 1.81°C above pre-industrial levels, the international pressure for countries to cut emissions faster and deeper is mounting. So where do countries stand today on their targets?
We’ve partnered with the National Public Utilities Council to answer just this question, using the latest national emission target data from Net Zero Tracker.
A Spotlight on Major Players
The largest countries and richest economies typically emit the most greenhouse gases and thus have the most crucial targets.
Country | End Target | End Target Year | New Commitment |
---|---|---|---|
Benin | Net zero | 2000 | Achieved |
Bhutan | Carbon negative | 2030 | Achieved |
Comoros | Net zero | 2050 | Achieved |
Gabon | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Achieved |
Guyana | Net zero | 2050 | Achieved |
Suriname | Net zero | 2050 | Achieved |
Albania | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Algeria | Reduction v. business-as-usual (BAU) | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Barbados | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Belarus | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Botswana | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Brunei | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Cameroon | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Congo | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Côte d'Ivoire | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Cuba | Other | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Czech Republic | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | In law |
Dominica | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Egypt | Other | 2030 | Not legally binding |
El Salvador | Absolute emissions target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Eswatini | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Guatemala | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | In law |
Honduras | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Iran | Other | 2030 | In law |
Iraq | Other | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Jamaica | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Jordan | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Kenya | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Liechtenstein | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Macedonia | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Maldives | Net zero | 2030 | In law |
Mauritania | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Mexico | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Moldova | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Mongolia | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Montenegro | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Morocco | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
North Korea | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Paraguay | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Philippines | Reduction v. BAU | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Poland | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Qatar | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
San Marino | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Serbia | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | In law |
Tajikistan | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Turkmenistan | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Uzbekistan | Emissions intensity target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Venezuela | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Zimbabwe | Emissions reduction target | 2030 | Not legally binding |
Bermuda | Other | 2035 | Not legally binding |
Finland | Climate neutral | 2035 | In law |
Antigua and Barbuda | Net zero | 2040 | Not legally binding |
Austria | Climate neutral | 2040 | In law |
Cayman Islands | Other | 2040 | Not legally binding |
Iceland | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2040 | In law |
Myanmar | Net zero | 2040 | Not legally binding |
Palestine | Other | 2040 | Not legally binding |
Denmark | Net zero | 2045 | Not legally binding |
Germany | Climate neutral | 2045 | In law |
Nepal | Net zero | 2045 | Not legally binding |
Sweden | Net zero | 2045 | In law |
Afghanistan | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Andorra | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Angola | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Argentina | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Armenia | Climate neutral | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Australia | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Azerbaijan | Emissions reduction target | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Bangladesh | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Belgium | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Belize | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Emissions reduction target | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Brazil | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Bulgaria | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Burkina Faso | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Burundi | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Cambodia | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Canada | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Cape Verde | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Central African Republic | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Chad | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Chile | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | In law |
Colombia | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | In law |
Cook Islands | Carbon neutral | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Costa Rica | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Croatia | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Cyprus | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Djibouti | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Dominican Republic | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Ecuador | Zero carbon | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Equatorial Guinea | Emissions reduction target | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Eritrea | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Estonia | Zero emissions | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Ethiopia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
European Union | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Fiji | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
France | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Georgia | Climate neutral | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Greece | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Grenada | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Guinea | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Guinea-Bissau | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Haiti | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Hungary | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Ireland | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Israel | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Italy | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Japan | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | In law |
Kiribati | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Kyrgyzstan | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Laos | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Latvia | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Lebanon | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Lesotho | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Liberia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Lithuania | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Luxembourg | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Madagascar | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Malawi | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Malaysia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Mali | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Malta | Climate neutral | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Marshall Islands | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Mauritius | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Micronesia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Monaco | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Mozambique | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Namibia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Nauru | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Netherlands | Emissions reduction target | 2050 | In law |
New Zealand | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Nicaragua | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Niger | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Niue | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Norway | Emissions reduction target | 2050 | In law |
Oman | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Pakistan | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Palau | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Panama | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Papua New Guinea | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Peru | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Portugal | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | In law |
Romania | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Rwanda | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Saint Lucia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Samoa | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Sao Tome and Principe | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Senegal | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Seychelles | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Sierra Leone | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Singapore | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Slovakia | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Slovenia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Solomon Islands | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Somalia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
South Africa | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
South Korea | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
South Sudan | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Spain | Climate neutral | 2050 | In law |
Sri Lanka | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Sudan | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Switzerland | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Tanzania | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
The Bahamas | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
The Gambia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Timor-Leste | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Togo | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Tonga | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Trinidad and Tobago | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Tunisia | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Tuvalu | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Uganda | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
United Arab Emirates | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
United Kingdom | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
United States of America | Net zero | 2050 | In law |
Uruguay | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Vanuatu | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Vatican City | Carbon Neutral | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Vietnam | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Yemen | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Zambia | Net zero | 2050 | Not legally binding |
Bahrain | Net zero | 2060 | Not legally binding |
China | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Indonesia | Net zero | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Kazakhstan | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Kuwait | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Russian Federation | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Saudi Arabia | Net zero | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Türkiye | Net zero | 2053 | Not legally binding |
Ukraine | Carbon neutral(ity) | 2060 | Not legally binding |
Ghana | Net zero | 2070 | Not legally binding |
India | Net zero | 2070 | Not legally binding |
Nigeria | Net zero | 2070 | In law |
Thailand | Net zero | 2065 | Not legally binding |
Bolivia | No target | N/A | None |
Libya | No target | N/A | None |
Syrian Arab Republic | No target | N/A | None |
The United States has an interim goal of a 50-52% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, with a net zero target set for 2050.
Their primary economic rival, China, is focused on peaking its CO₂ emissions by 2030 instead of reducing them. Their net zero target, on the other hand, is currently set for 2060.
The European Union requires all 27 member states to reduce emissions 55% by 2030, with a net-zero goal for 2050.
Australia, which is among the top emitters per capita because of its fossil fuel usage, aims to reduce emissions by 43% from 2005 levels by 2030, while their net zero target is set for 2050.
Ambitious Climate Leaders and Laggards
While Comoros, Bhutan, Gabon, Suriname, and Guyana claim to have already achieved net zero, several major countries lack commitment.
Russia, one of the world’s largest polluters, has a net zero target set for 2060. Several other top-emitting countries, such as India and Indonesia, have net zero targets that also do not meet the Paris Climate Accord timeline of net zero by 2050. Their net-zero commitments are targeted at 2070 and 2060, respectively.
Iran is the only one of the top 10 largest emitting nations without a net zero target. However, it has an interim target of reducing emissions 3.45% by 2030.
Finland leads all countries with a legally binding net zero target set for the ambitious year 2035. Germany, a more populous nation, is also topping the Paris Climate Accord timeline, enshrining its net zero target into law for 2045.
The global race to net zero is ongoing, with countries at various stages of commitment. While significant progress has been made, many of the world’s largest emitters have yet to commit to net zero emission goals aligned with the Paris Climate Accord.
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