Powering Past Coal Alliance

Scotland is to become a signatory to the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which aims to accelerate clean growth and climate protection through phasing out coal power.

Alliance members commit to cutting unabated coal power generation and to a moratorium on new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage. They also commit to support clean power generation and investment.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said:

“The Scottish Government’s intention to join the Powering Past Coal Alliance signals our continued support for global efforts to phase out coal power, to meet our commitment to keep global temperature increase well below 2°C, and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

“We are already meeting the goals of the Alliance. Unabated coal power generation has been stopped in Scotland, with the last coal power station closing in 2016, and should there ever be any new application then it must have carbon capture and storage technology.

“We already share our experience of delivering ambitious climate change and clean energy action with international partners and will continue to do so through our membership of this Alliance.”

Background

There are currently 47 government and 28 business members of the Powering Past Coal Alliance.

The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish energy strategy commits the Scottish Government to the equivalent of 50% of Scotland’s heat, transport and electricity consumption to be supplied from renewable sources.