There was pretty celebratory coverage last week of a report co-authored by China's environmental ministry, giving recommendations on greening China's overseas coal investment, including putting coal power on a "red" list. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/12/03/chinas-environment-ministry-floats-ban-coal-power-investment-abroad/

Here's the actual report: http://en.brigc.net/Reports/Report_Download/202012/P020201201717466274510.pdf

It's definitely a positive signal, but does not recommend anything that would come close to ending state financing of coal overseas.

"Following international best practice for environmental impact assessments (EIAs)" and following IFC guidelines would be very marginal improvements for new projects that are only entering the pipeline now.

Obviously most BRI coal projects don't meet these requirements at the moment - for example, the EIAs and other key project information are often not publicly available.

The symbolic labeling of coal and gas as "red" would of course be a positive signal. Currently they are even on a "green list"..!

The IFC guidelines are a very unfortunate set of documents because for most people they sound very convincing especially when referred to as "World Bank standards". However they are ridiculously weak, just meant to weed out the absolute dirtiest bottom-of-the barrel projects.

Most coal projects globally adopt the IFC guidelines because they require little added effort, it makes a nice talking point, and many financiers require them or like them (it's a nice box to tick for compliance and maybe even helps with your own conscience if you have one).

So the report is a step towards recognizing on a symbolic level that building new coal plants is not good and should be regulated more, and state financing should be shifted towards clean energy.

This report primarily seems like a pitch for giving the environmental ministry a role in approving BRI projects, which would obviously be a big positive even if the initial requirements are lenient. But don't forget the ministry also rubber-stamps a lot of new coal at home.

Important word missing: "co-authored by environment ministry researchers" not the ministry..!