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The Dark Side of Coal in Myanmar : Investigative Documentary

In “The Dark Side of Coal”, director Nyan Gyi investigates the use of coal in Myanmar, for power and industrial production. Due to weak regulation and monitoring, coal already has serious impacts on Myanmar’s public health and environment – and according to the national energy policy, even more coal power plants are going to be built.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation’s office is monitoring air quality in Yangon and publishing real time data by using airveda device. Air quality measurements will serve as an indicator for us to know how safe the air we are breathing. Click here for details, past data and more background.

The Dangers of Coal

Coal is one of the most polluting forms of energy production - dangerous for the environment, for health, and for the climate and thus the planet as a whole. Still, in Myanmar, the use of coal continues and is even envisaged to expand, for power production as well as for industrial process heat.

This dossier presents two documentary videos that look at the current usage of coal in Myanmar and in Thailand, respectively, and at the plans to expand coal use for power production and industry purposes. It also includes an article that shows how plans for coal power plants in Myanmar have emerged and changed over time, not least as a result of popular resistance against coal.

The Story of Coal Power in Thailand

Despite risks to environment, people and the planet as a whole, policymakers in ASEAN – Myanmar included – still pursue the development of coal power plants. This video shows what Myanmar can learn from Thailand’s experience with coal power.

Environmental Governance

Whenever a plan to build a large coal power plant is announced in Myanmar, people take to the streets. While these protests have been rather successful on a local level, this has not discouraged investors from simply announcing a similar plant in another location.

By Felix Sternagel

The planned Kyaukphyu SEZ – a core aspect of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Myanmar –generates hopes for development and jobs, but also fears about loss of lands and livelihoods. Kyaukphyu needs transparency and local participation in project planning and implementation.

By Felix Sternagel

On paper, almost every government in the world is committed to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and keeping global temperatures limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. But too many governments, parroting the oil and gas industry's misleading claims, are actually supporting the expansion of fossil fuel production.

By Lili Fuhr, Hannah McKinnon

More articles on Environmental Governance

Political Culture

Informal humanitarian operations continue to provide important services for many communities along the Thai-Burma/Myanmar border. However, since the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, these essential service providers are increasingly sidelined, both politically and financially.

By Yung Au (Nicole)

For decades, Myanmar was among the most isolated countries in the world. Although the process of democratization and the internet have changed things, people still cannot express themselves freely.

By Nay Phone Latt

In 1967 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded. This dossier sheds light on the institutional framework of ASEAN and analyses with contributions by civil society and academia, where social and ecological justice has, or should have, its place in Southeast Asia.

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The Dark Side of Coal in Myanmar : Investigative Documentary