Problems with Coal: A Look at Each Project
While the world moves to phase out coal, and even after ratifying the Paris Agreement, is promote coal-fired power both domestically and internationally. There are several coal-fired power projects around the world (including those under consideration) receiving investment or support from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Japanese financial institutions and private companies. These projects are problematic in many ways, from being strong drivers of climate change, to devastating local environments, to adversely impacting the livelihoods of local residents such as agriculture and fisheries, to harming human health. For these reasons, Japan’s support for coal has drawn international scrutiny.
Japanese coal technology has a reputation for being efficient and superior, but rarely is the latest pollution control technology used in coal-fired power plants built with Japanese funding or support. Therefore, concentrations of pollutants emitted from such power plants are often higher than those in Japan. We investigated pollution control measures and emission concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and dust in 14 projects(including one prospected to be coming up for consideration by JICA and oen in the planning stage by JBIC) for which related documents such as an environmental impact assessment were available. Based on a comparison with five coal-fired power plants in Japan for which we could obtain similar related information, it became clear that the emission concentrations of overseas power plants supported by Japan (e.g. JBIC) tend to be much higher than those of domestic power plants.
There have also been cases of serious human rights violations, such as harassment and intimidation by local police and/or the military against local residents who oppose the projects.
Below is a Factsheet (summary) for each project and its related issues.
| Area | Country | Project | Supported by | Size | Fact Sheet update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | India | Kudgi | JBIC, private banks | 2,400MW | |
| Darripali | JBIC, private banks | 1,600MW | |||
| Meja | JBIC | 1,260MW | 2014/3/24 | ||
| Indonesia | Indramayu | JICA | 1,000MW | 2019/11 | |
| Cirebon 2 | JBIC, private banks | 1,000MW | |||
| Batang | JBIC, private banks | 2,000MW | 2014/2/3 | ||
| Malinau coal mining | JBIC, private banks | － | |||
| Bangladesh | Matarbari | JICA | 1,200MW | 2020/8 | |
| Viet Nam | Nghi Son 2 | JBIC, private banks | 1,200MW | ||
| Hai Phong 1&2 | JBIC, private banks | 1,200MW | 2015/4/17 | ||
| Van Phong 1 | JBIC, private banks | 1,320MW | |||
| Vinh Tan 3 | Chinese banks (media info.) | 1,980MW | |||
| Vinh Tan 4 | JBIC, private banks, Export-Import Bank of Korea | 1,200MW | |||
| Vinh Tan 4 ex. | JBIC, private banks | 600MW | |||
| Vung Ang 2 | JBIC, private banks | 1,200MW | |||
| Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar, CHP-5 | JBIC | 463.5MW | ||
| Myanmar | Anne Din | JBIC, private banks | 1,280MW | ||
| Nga Yoke Kaung | JBIC, private banks | 600MW | |||
| Tharabwin | unknown | 2,500MW | |||
| Africa | Botswana | Morupule B | JBIC, Export-Import Bank of Korea, private banks | 300MW | 2017/10/20 |
| South Africa | Thabametsi | South Africa Public Investment Corporation etc. | 630MW | 2019/5/30 | |
| Europe | Croatia | Plomin C | 500MW | ||
| South America | Chile | Cochrane | JBIC, private banks | 472MW |
Reference
Comparison of environmental measuring technologies between JBIC supported (including planning) oversea coal-fired power plants and Japanese coal-fired power plants (PDF)
