China's Overseas Coal Cancellations Hit 61.5 GW But Private Captive Plants Persist in Indonesia

A new report from CREA and PACS finds that China has cancelled roughly two-thirds of its overseas coal pipeline since the 2021 UN pledge, avoiding an estimated 6.4 billion tonnes of CO2. However, private Chinese companies continue building off-grid captive coal plants in Indonesia to power nickel and aluminium smelters, exploiting a loophole in the ban. While public banks and state firms have mostly withdrawn, 17.1 GW of China-linked coal capacity remains operational or planned in Indonesia, plus 20.5 GW still in planning across other markets. The report also notes that China-linked renewables now exceed cancelled coal capacity in Brazil, Tanzania, and the UAE, but closing the captive plant loophole will be key to fully delivering on the pledge.