16 November 2017: Governments, businesses and other partners have formed the ‘Powering Past Coal’ alliance, which aims to rapidly phase out traditional coal power. Government members of the alliance, which was launched during the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, agreed to phase out existing traditional coal power and place a moratorium on new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage (CCS).

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), coal-fired power plants produce almost 40% of global electricity, making carbon pollution from coal a major contributor to climate change. Air pollution from burning coal also causes severe respiratory diseases, among other damaging health impacts.

All partners commit to restricting financing for traditional coal power without CCS.

Led by Canada and the UK, alliance members signed a declaration committing to phasing out coal in a sustainable and economically inclusive way, including with appropriate support for workers and communities. For governments, commitments include phasing out existing traditional coal power in their jurisdictions, and a moratorium on any new traditional coal power stations without operational CCS within their jurisdictions. For business and other non-governmental partners, commitments include powering their operations without coal. All partners commit to supporting clean power through their policies and investments, and to restricting financing for traditional coal power without CCS. To support these goals, Powering Past Coal partners will share real-world examples and best practices to support the phase-out of coal, including through climate financing, and adopt practical initiatives to support the transition, including clean energy plans and targets.

As of 16 November, the following governments had joined the alliance: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Vancouver (Canada); Angola; Austria; Belgium; Canada; Costa Rica; Denmark; Finland; Fiji; France; Italy; Luxembourg; the Marshall Islands; Mexico; the Netherlands; New Zealand; Niue; Portugal; Switzerland; UK; and Washington, DC (US). The alliance hopes to increase its membership to 50 partners by the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC, which will convene in December 2018 in Katowice, Poland. [Powering Past Coal Declaration] [COP 23 Press Release]