Q&A: What does China’s 15th five-year plan for coal mean for climate action?
China's 15th five-year plan for the coal industry prioritizes energy security and production over an immediate phase-down. While the plan mentions a green transition, it reinforces coal's role as a primary energy source through 2030.
Why it matters
China's coal policy is a critical factor in global climate change efforts and the success of international carbon emission targets.
Share China has published a new five-year plan for coal, the latest in a slew of important policy documents for the country’s energy transition.
The 15th five-year plan for the development of the coal industry was published by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) on 10 August, covering the period 2026-2030.
This is a key period, covering the years building up to China’s pledge to peak its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions “before 2030”.
Government-affiliated organisations had previously mooted the possibility of coal consumption peaking before 2027.
However, the new plan does not set a specific, government-endorsed year for peaking coal consumption, instead including a broader goal to peak use of the fuel in this five-year period.
It also discusses the “green and low-carbon transition” of the coal industry, coal-related methane emissions and the “clean and efficient use” of the fuel.
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