In a significant development at COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, 25 countries pledged not to construct new unabated coal-power plants. This voluntary commitment aims to accelerate the phaseout of coal, a major contributor to global carbon emissions. The initiative, signed by nations including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia, requires participants to submit national climate plans by early next year. These plans will ensure no new unabated coal power is included in their energy strategies.
The term “unabated” refers to coal usage without emission-reducing measures like carbon capture and storage, technologies often criticized for their scalability. However, the pledge does not mandate a halt to coal mining or exports, which remain significant drivers of carbon emissions and climate change. Despite the push, prominent coal-power-generating nations such as China, India, and the United States refrained from endorsing the agreement.
While some countries, like the UK, have already eliminated coal reliance in power generation, others, such as Australia, have drawn attention for their dual role as major coal users and exporters. Australia’s inclusion in the pledge has been hailed as a step forward. Meanwhile, developing nations like Angola, Uganda, and Ethiopia also joined the initiative, underscoring the global acknowledgment of coal’s environmental toll.
The pledge emerged in collaboration with the Powering Past Coal Alliance and reflects the ongoing struggle to balance emission reduction with funding for climate adaptation in poorer nations. The agreement is seen as a step toward addressing global warming and will likely set the stage for further discussions at COP30 in Brazil.
Source: AFP