China’s Coal Plant Surge: A Stark Warning About Global Energy Security and Climate Promises

China’s rapid expansion of solar and wind power in 2025 would seem to be a hopeful sign for global climate efforts. Yet beneath these headlines lies a troubling reality: the world’s largest carbon emitter commissioned more than 50 giant coal power units last year—more than doubling annual additions compared to the past decade.This surge added 78 gigawatts of new coal capacity, enough to power millions of homes, marking a staggering scale of construction that far outpaces even India’s entire coal expansion over the past ten years. While Beijing touts renewable growth, it clings aggressively to coal-fired plants as its backbone...