In 2007, responding to a call to action by climate scientist James Hansen, an informal group of journalists and environmental advocates began documenting 151 proposed coal plants in the United States. This group would eventually go on to become Global Energy Monitor.
Over the course of the 20th century, the use of fossil fuels for energy proliferated across the globe. By the mid-2000s, nearly 90 percent of all energy consumed worldwide came from nonrenewable sources. With growing awareness of the social and environmental challenges posed by fossil energy came a growing need for reliable information about the scope and nature of these challenges.
Global Energy Monitor was founded on principles of transparency and accountability. We believe that the data we gather should be accessible to everyone, as we believe that everyone is affected by the issues our work addresses. We hold ourselves accountable to rigorous standards of excellence in research and analysis, striving to provide the most accurate picture of the international energy landscape possible.
From an initial emphasis on energy in the US, GEM quickly expanded its focus to a global scale. In 2008, GEM (then known as CoalSwarm) became affiliated with the Earth Island Institute, a group founded by renowned environmentalist David Brower. GEM operated as a project of the Earth Island Institute for ten years before incorporating as an independent nonprofit organization in 2017.