G7 Commits To Phasing Out Coal Power By 2035

Italy's Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin talks during the G7 Climate, energy and environment press conference at Venaria Reale in Turin, Italy, Tuesday April 30, 2024.

Energy and environment ministers of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations have pledged to phase out coal power by 2035, marking a significant step in the global effort to combat climate change. This commitment, outlined in the final communique of the recent meeting in Turin, Italy, represents the first time the G7 has explicitly referenced a phase-out of coal.

The ministers' decision comes in response to the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with coal being identified as a major contributor to global warming. The communique also allows for flexibility, acknowledging that some countries heavily rely on coal for energy production.

Italy's environment and energy security minister highlighted the importance of targeting coal, referring to it as 'the source of most emissions.' The agreement aligns with commitments made at the COP 28 conference in Dubai, which called for accelerating the phase-down of unabated coal power, where emissions are not captured.

Coal is a major contributor to global warming.

The G7 pledges to phase out coal power by 2035.

Some countries heavily rely on coal for energy production.

COP 28 conference in Dubai called for accelerating coal phase-down.

While environmental campaigners have welcomed the commitment to phase out coal by 2035, some have expressed concerns that the timeline falls short of recommendations by leading climate organizations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency have called for a more ambitious timeline, urging G7 nations to decarbonize their power sectors by 2035, which would require phasing out coal by 2030 and gas power by 2035.

Japan, the only G7 country without a coal phase-out date, has come under scrutiny for its stance on coal power. Other G7 nations, including Britain, France, Italy, and Canada, have committed to phasing out coal no later than 2030, while the United States and Germany are making significant progress towards this goal.

Environmental advocates are calling on G7 ministers to lead by example and align their commitments with the urgency of the climate crisis. The phase-out of coal power is seen as a crucial step towards achieving global climate targets and transitioning to cleaner, renewable energy sources.