Turin: Energy ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations have reached a historic agreement to shutter their coal-fired power plants by no later than 2035, marking a significant stride in the global transition away from fossil fuels.
Andrew Bowie, Britain’s minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, hailed the landmark deal, stating, “We have an agreement to stop using coal in the first half of 2030’s… it is a historical agreement.” The accord was confirmed by Italian diplomatic sources, signaling a united front among G7 members.
The agreement, set to be formalized in the G7 energy ministers’ final communique on Tuesday following a two-day meeting in Turin, underscores the collective commitment to combating climate change. Discussions among diplomats from the G7 nations, including Italy, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, and Japan, culminated in the decisive agreement to phase out coal.
This move aligns with the objectives outlined at the COP28 United Nations climate summit, emphasizing the imperative of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Luca Bergamaschi, co-founding member of the Italian climate change think-tank ECCO, emphasized the significance of the agreement in accelerating investments in clean technology, particularly in regions heavily reliant on coal such as Japan, China, and India.
Italy, which generated 4.7% of its total electricity from coal-fired stations last year, is poised to shut down its remaining coal plants by 2025, except for those in Sardinia, which are slated for closure by 2028. Meanwhile, Germany and Japan, where coal plays a substantial role in electricity generation, are expected to undergo significant transitions in the coming years.
Notably, last year, under Japan’s presidency, the G7 committed to prioritizing tangible steps towards phasing out coal power generation, a pledge that has now materialized into a concrete agreement with a specific deadline.
