Powering Past Coal Alliance

Summary

The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) is a group of 182 countries, cities, regions and organisations aiming to accelerate the coal phase-out of coal-fired power stations, except the very few which have carbon capture and storage.[2][3][4] It has been described as a "non-proliferation treaty" for fossil fuels.[5] The project was undertaken with financial support from the Government of Canada, through their environmental department known as Environment and Climate Change Canada.[6]

Powering Past Coal Alliance
Formation16 November 2017; 6 years ago (2017-11-16)[1]
TypeInternational environmental organization
Region served
Worldwide
Websitepoweringpastcoal.org
Belchatow Power Station in Poland, Europe's most polluting power plant, which is scheduled to close in 2036

History edit

 
The Nanticoke Generating Station in Ontario, one of the largest power plants to be shut as part of Ontario's coal phaseout

The Alliance was launched by Canada and the UK at the COP23 climate summit in November 2017. Announcing the launch, Climate Action Network-Canada Executive Director Catherine Abreu said: "Canada and the UK are right to kick-start the Alliance, as science tells us that OECD countries need to phase out coal by 2030 at the latest”.[1][7]

By the end of the summit, membership had grown to include over 20 countries, regions and organizations.[8] Within a month membership had grown to over 50 .[9] Its purpose is to establish a new international norm, or “standard of appropriate behaviour”, that coal should not be burned for power.[2]

In April 2018 a research partnership was announced with Bloomberg Philanthropies.[10]

In October 2018 the South Korean province of South Chungcheong became the first jurisdiction in Asia and the largest user of coal power to join the Alliance.[11][12] In December 2018 Sydney, Melbourne, Scotland, Scottish Power, Senegal and Israel also joined[13] and in September 2019 seven new members joined including Germany and Slovakia.[5][14]

In June 2020 6 global finance organisations joined including Desjardins Group, the first major North American financial institution to join.[15]

During 2021 at least 38 new members joined including Hungary, Uruguay,[16] Chile, Estonia, Singapore, Slovenia and Ukraine.[17]

Aims edit

Alliance members agree that:[9]

  • Governments/states will phase out existing traditional coal power.
  • Governments/states will create a moratorium on any new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage.
  • Businesses/organisations will power operations without coal.
  • Members will ensure policies and investments support clean power.
  • Members will restrict financing for traditional coal power without carbon capture and storage.

Reaction edit

Reacting to the launch, Tracy Carty of Oxfam said the Alliance "represents real and tangible progress in the fight against climate change."[18]

Business change organisation The B Team welcomed the Alliance, and argued that exiting coal must happen as a just transition that protects vulnerable workers and communities such as coal mining communities.[19]

Members edit

Members of the Powering Past Coal Alliance as of December 2023 were:[20]

Nations edit

  1. Albania
  2. Angola
  3. Austria
  4. Azerbaijan
  5. Belgium
  6. Canada
  7. Chile
  8. Colombia
  9. Costa Rica
  10. Croatia
  11. Cyprus
  12. Czech Republic
  13. Denmark
  14. Dominican Republic
  15. El Salvador
  16. Estonia
  17. Ethiopia
  18. Fiji[21]
  19. Finland
  20. France
  21. Germany[22]
  22. Greece
  23. Hungary
  24. Iceland
  25. Ireland
  26. Israel
  27. Italy
  28. Latvia
  29. Liechtenstein
  30. Lithuania
  31. Luxembourg
  32. Kosovo
  33. Malta
  34. Marshall Islands
  35. Mauritius
  36. Mexico
  37. Montenegro
  38. Netherlands
  39. New Zealand
  40. Niue
  41. North Macedonia
  42. Norway
  43. Panama
  44. Peru
  45. Portugal
  46. Senegal
  47. Singapore[23]
  48. Slovakia
  49. Slovenia
  50. Spain
  51. Sweden
  52. Switzerland
  53. Tuvalu
  54. Ukraine
  55. United Arab Emirates
  56. United Kingdom
  57. United States
  58. Uruguay
  59. Vanuatu

Sub-national entities edit

  1. Alberta, Canada
  2. Australian Capital Territory, Australia
  3. Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  4. Balearic Islands, Spain
  5. British Columbia, Canada
  6. California, US
  7. Colorado, US
  8. Connecticut, US
  9. Daegu, South Korea
  10. Durban, South Africa
  11. Eastern Wielkopolska, Poland
  12. Gangwon, South Korea
  13. Guimaras, Philippines
  14. Gyeonggi, South Korea
  15. Hawaii, US
  16. Honolulu, US
  17. Ilocos Norte, Philippines
  18. Incheon, South Korea
  19. Jeju, South Korea
  20. Jeollanam, South Korea
  21. Kaohsiung City
  22. Koszalin, Poland
  23. Kyoto City
  24. Los Angeles, US
  25. Masbate, Philippines
  26. Melbourne, Australia
  27. Minnesota, US
  28. Negros Occidental, Philippines
  29. Negros Oriental, Philippines
  30. New Jersey, US
  31. New Mexico, US
  32. New Taipei City
  33. New York, US
  34. Ontario, Canada
  35. Oregon, US
  36. Ormoc, Philippines
  37. Philadelphia, US
  38. Puerto Rico
  39. Quebec, Canada
  40. Rotterdam, Netherlands
  41. Scotland, UK
  42. Seoul, South Korea
  43. South Chungcheong, South Korea
  44. Sydney, Australia
  45. Taichung City, Taiwan
  46. Taoyuan City, Taiwan
  47. Vancouver, Canada
  48. Wales, UK
  49. Wałbrzych, Poland
  50. Washington, US
  51. Wielkopolska, Poland

Businesses and other organisations edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Beer, Mitchell (26 November 2017). "BREAKING: 25 JURISDICTIONS JOIN CANADA, UK IN COAL PHASEOUT ALLIANCE". The Energy Mix. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b Blondeel, Mathieu; Van de Graaf, Thijs; Haesebrouck, Tim (January 2020). "Moving beyond coal: Exploring and explaining the Powering Past Coal Alliance". Energy Research & Social Science. 59: 101304. doi:10.1016/j.erss.2019.101304.
  3. ^ Shrestha, Priyanka (15 July 2019). "National Grid ESO joins Powering Past Coal Alliance". Energy Live News. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  4. ^ Rabson, Mia (17 November 2017). "Canada and U.K. form alliance to phase out coal to combat climate change". CBC. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b Blondeel, Thijs; Van de Graaf, Mathieu (10 February 2019). "Growing anti-coal alliance could become non-proliferation treaty for fossil fuel". Climate Home News. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Our mission | Powering Past Coal Alliance". Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA). Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  7. ^ "Canada & UK launch coal phaseout plan". Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Powering Past Coal Alliance: 20 countries sign up to phase out coal power by 2030". ABC News. 2017-11-17. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  9. ^ a b Hill, Joshua (17 December 2017). "Powering Past Coal Alliance Membership Blows Out Past 50". CleanTechnica. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  10. ^ Cochran, Lee. "Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces Partnership with Powering Past Coal Alliance to Strengthen Global Efforts to Phase Out Coal". Bloomberg Philanthropies. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  11. ^ Sauer, Natalie (10 March 2018). "South Korean province joins international coal phase-out club". Climate Home News. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  12. ^ Chen, Han (2 October 2018). "Korean Province to Phase Out Coal: Implications for Asia". Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  13. ^ Sauer, Natalie (13 December 2018). "Sydney and Melbourne vow to ditch coal power". Climate Home News. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Germany and Slovakia head list of new Alliance members at UN Climate Action Summit". poweringpastcoal.org. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Canada to celebrate Clean Air Day with new members of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, including Quebec-based Desjardins Group". bloomberg.com. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Hungary becomes member of Powering Past Coal Alliance". bbj.hu. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Powering Past Coal Alliance Expands at COP26, Adds New Mexico". newsdata.com. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  18. ^ Hernandez-Arthur, Simon (8 December 2017). "Reaction to launch of 'Powering Past Coal' Alliance". Oxfam International. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  19. ^ Burrow, Sharan; Robinson, Mary (2020). "Powering past coal is right move, but we can't do it without a just transition". The B Team. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  20. ^ "Members". Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Fiji Joins "Powering Past Coal Alliance" to Accelerate Clean Growth". 16 November 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  22. ^ "Deutschland tritt Allianz der Kohleausstiegsländer bei". Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 22 September 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  23. ^ Leo, Lakeisha. "COP26: Singapore commits to phasing out unabated coal power by 2050". CNA. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  24. ^ a b "PPCA Finance Principles launched at Green Finance Summit 2019". Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA). Retrieved 2019-07-27.
  25. ^ https://steelguru.com/coal/edp-joins-powering-past-coal-alliance-to-end-coal-power-generation/563368#:~:text=Coal%20News%20%2D%20Published%20on%20Mon%2C%2021%20Sep%202020&text=EDP%20is%20one%20of%20the,from%20unabated%20coal%20power%20generation.[dead link]
  26. ^ "National Grid Electricity System Operator joins Powering Past Coal Alliance | Powering Past Coal Alliance". Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA). Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  27. ^ "National Grid ESO joins Powering Past Coal Alliance". BusinessGreen. 2019-07-15. Retrieved 2019-07-15.

External links edit

  • Official website