KOREA
BEYOND COAL

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About

Korea Beyond Coal

Some people ask,

Isn't coal cheaper than other energy sources?
Aren't the new coal plants clean?
Don't we need coal?

We say:
No! The age of coal must come to an end!

Fact

Coal is
still the biggest
climate culprit.

Coal plants emit one-quarter of South Korea's greenhouse gases. These emissions are worsening the climate crisis at an exponential rate, causing more extreme weather events such as heat waves and flooding.

We are running out of time.
We must exit coal by 2030.

Fact

Coal is
no longer
cost-effective.

Renewables are now cheaper than coal for two-thirds of the world's population. Similarly, in South Korea, the cost of new solar energy will undercut that of new coal by 2024, according to a study.1)

(Source : Brown is the New Green, Carbon Tracker, 2019)

Some people ask,

Isn't coal cheaper than other energy sources?
Aren't the new coal plants clean?
Don't we need coal?

We say:
No! The age of coal must come to an end!

Fact

Coal is
not clean energy.

Coal emits massive amounts of pollutants, such as fine dust, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, that cause severe health conditions such as respiratory diseases and mental illnesses. In fact, a study found that coal plants in South Korea may cause over 24,000 deaths between 2021 and 2054.

Source : Coal-Fired Power: Bad Electricity That Steals Lives, Solutions for Our Climate, 2020

We are running out of time.
We must exit coal by 2030.

Fact

Coal is the biggest
obstacle to achieve
global carbon neutrality.

South Korea pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and passed its Carbon Neutrality Bill in October 2021. To achieve this goal, the country needs to exit coal, its biggest source of greenhouse gases. Without phasing out coal, carbon neutrality is only a pipe dream.

Going beyond coal
must be a joint effort.

The Korea Beyond Coal
campaign has four objectives:

  • Phase out existing coal plants by 2030
  • Stop the planned construction of
    new coal plants
  • End financing for any coal plants
  • Just transition from coal to renewables
  • BEYOND COAL

    Coal plants
    in operation

    57

  • BEYOND COAL

    Coal plants
    planned to be built

    4

  • BEYOND COAL

    Domestic reliance
    on coal for electricity

    40

    %
  • BEYOND COAL

    Coal plants
    retired

    6