Wealthy Nations Agree to 2035 Deadline for Ending Coal for the First Time

G7 climate and energy officials reached an agreement to phase out coal in the first half of the 2030s during talks that started Sunday in Turin, Italy.

Under that decision, they committed to phase out “existing unabated coal power generation,” while reducing the use of coal power for energy up to 2035. They also pledged to work with other countries and the financial sector to end the approval of new coal-fired power plants “as soon as possible,” according to a communique ministers issued at the end of their meeting Tuesday.

That communique is more a statement of intent than a binding agreement, but it would mark the first time a group of advanced economies have set a common date for a coal phase-out, sending a strong political signal that could accelerate the shift to clean energy in growing economies in Asia, analysts say.

The G7 also asked IRENA to act as an external monitor of progress towards this goal:

G7 Countries Task IRENA to Monitor Group’s Renewable Energy Progress

The transition away from fossil fuels to renewables requires a new interpretation of the concept of energy security, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published today.

Read the full post at Scientific American.