China has kept its promise to stop funding overseas coal, but loopholes are helping coal expand

Synopsis Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2021 pledge to halt overseas coal financing is being challenged by ongoing energy demands. While China has cancelled many coal projects, private investments continue unabated in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam. Southeast Asia is increasing coal use due to energy crises triggered by global conflicts. The International Energy Agency notes that the region fuels much of the world’s rising energy demands. United Nations: Addressing the UN General Assembly in 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to stop funding overseas coal power plants in an effort to help curb climate change. Five years later, as the…