Skip to content

Unsuitable for the energy transition: Voluntary emission credits for the early decommissioning of coal-fired power plants

This Extractivism Policy Brief 01/2026 shows: 

  •  Voluntary carbon credits do not provide a robust instrument for systematically financing the early retirement of coal power plants.  
  • Uncertainty over prices, volumes, and emissions accounting severely limits their scalability and climate effectiveness.  
  • The pilot case demonstrates that transition schemes tend to reallocate risk rather than ensure reliable decarbonization.  

The Author:

Christoph Scherrer, Prof. em. Dr., head of the Department of Globalization and Politics at the University of Kassel until his retirement. 

Link to PDF: Download Extractivism Policy Brief 01/2026 (DEUTSCH) 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17170/kobra-2026021711919

Auch interessant:

Finally milking the dead cow? – How Javier Milei plans to benefit from fracking in Argentina

This Extractivism Policy Brief 08/2025 shows: • Vaca Muerta in Argentina is one of the most important reserves of non-conventional oil and gas in the world. •… Read More »Finally milking the dead cow? – How Javier Milei plans to benefit from fracking in Argentina

Escaping Green Extractivism: The Role of Industrial Policy in the Energy Transition

This Extractivism Policy Brief 07/2025 shows: The energy transition risks reproducing old extractivist dependencies unless Global South countries actively pursue green industrial policy and domestic value creation.… Read More »Escaping Green Extractivism: The Role of Industrial Policy in the Energy Transition

Brazil’s current decarbonization strategy: turning green growth into sustainable development?

This Extractivism Policy Brief 06/2025 shows: • During Lula’s first mandates (2003-2010), Brazil cut GHG emissions through deforestation control while pursuing growth and lower inequality, addressing an… Read More »Brazil’s current decarbonization strategy: turning green growth into sustainable development?