Coal

Central Asian states have significantly increased their coal-based power generation capacity over the past decade, with further expansion plans in the pipeline. However, this reliance on coal is exacerbating environmental challenges and straining state budgets in the long term. Despite some efforts towards renewable energy, these nations are prioritizing coal, which undermines their climate commitments and raises the risk of stranded assets.

A recent report by the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) highlights that Central Asian countries are facing accelerated temperature increases due to global warming. Yet, they are intensifying their environmental challenges by heavily investing in coal-fired power plants, which are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

According to the GEM report titled "Boom and Bust Coal 2024: Tracking the Global Coal Plant Pipeline," coal's role in power generation has doubled in Central Asia over the past decade. Plans to add generating capacity from coal-fired plants in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan reached 8.1 gigawatts (GW) last year, up from 3.9 GW in 2013. Currently, coal accounts for 45 percent of electricity production in the region. Turkmenistan's power production, which relies on natural gas, was not included in the GEM coal report.

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are among only eight states globally that developed plans in 2023 to build new coal-fired plants. The report also notes that Central Asian state has a plan to phase out coal-fired power production, and most do not have a blueprint to achieve carbon neutrality as per the 2015 Paris Agreement. The report warns that the region's increasing reliance on coal-fired power production may solve short-term problems but will create long-term stress on state budgets. Over 60 percent of the 16.8 GW electricity generated by burning coal in Central Asia was produced by outdated plants in 2023. Continued operation of these plants beyond their 40-year efficient operating lifetime poses serious risks for excessive pollution and breakdowns, especially for outdated combined plants that generate heat and electricity.