G7 Nations Agree to End Coal Use by 2035, with Conditions

 

In a significant climate policy breakthrough, the Group of Seven (G7) nations have announced that they will end the use of "unabated" coal by 2035. However, the agreement includes caveats that allow countries to stretch the deadline or use coal past 2035 if they capture carbon pollution before it enters the atmosphere.

The G7, which represents the world's largest economies, made the announcement after talks between energy, climate, and environment ministers in Turin, Italy. The agreement states that member nations will "phase out existing unabated coal power generation in our energy systems during the first half of the 2030s."

The term "unabated" coal refers to coal used without carbon capture technology. This means that countries can continue to use coal past 2035 if they implement technology to capture carbon emissions. Additionally, the agreement includes a clause that allows countries to choose a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, in line with their net-zero pathways.

This caveat has raised concerns among climate experts, as it appears to allow countries to continue using coal past 2035 as long as their overall national emissions do not contribute to global warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Several G7 members have already made significant progress in reducing their coal use. Coal makes up less than 6% of the electricity mix in the UK, Italy, and Canada, and almost nothing in France. However, Japan still relies on coal for 32% of its electricity mix, followed by Germany at 27%, and the US at 16%.

The agreement comes just days after the US Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules requiring coal-fired power plants to either capture nearly all of their climate pollution or shut down by 2039.

Climate experts have welcomed the announcement, but also expressed concerns about the caveats. Jennifer Layke, global director for energy at the World Resources Institute, described the announcement as a "breakthrough" and a "beacon of hope" for the rest of the world. However, she also emphasized the need for faster action, stating that "the transition away from coal can happen much faster than many thought possible."

Jane Ellis, head of climate policy at Climate Analytics, also expressed concerns about the agreement. She noted that the 2035 deadline is too late to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and that G7 nations need to end coal use by 2030 at the latest. She also pointed out that the agreement does not mention a gas phase-out, which is a significant source of CO2 emissions.

Fossil fuels, including coal, are the primary driver of the climate crisis. The G7's decision to phase out coal is a significant step forward, but the caveats and conditions attached to the agreement have raised concerns among climate experts. The agreement's impact will depend on how it is implemented and whether countries will take further action to reduce their emissions and transition to renewable energy sources.