Powering Past Coal Alliance

Map of members
Formation	16 November 2017; 6 years ago (2017-11-16)[1]
Type	International environmental organization
Region served	Worldwide
Website	poweringpastcoal.org

The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) is a group of 170 countries, cities, regions and organisations aiming to accelerate the coal phase-out of coal-fired power stations, except the very few which have carbon capture and storage.^[2][3][4] It has been described as a "non-proliferation treaty" for fossil fuels.^[5] The project was undertaken with financial support from the Government of Canada, through their environmental department known as Environment and Climate Change Canada.^[6]

History

The Alliance was launched by Canada and the UK at the COP23 climate summit in November 2017. Announcing the launch, Climate Action Network-Canada Executive Director Catherine Abreu said:

"Canada and the UK are right to kick-start the Alliance, as science tells us that OECD countries need to phase out coal by 2030 at the latest”.^[1][7]

By the end of the summit, membership had grown to include over 20 countries, regions and organizations.^[8] Within a month membership had grown to over 50 .^[9] Its purpose is to establish a new international norm, or “standard of appropriate behaviour”, that coal should not be burned for power.^[2]

In April 2018 a research partnership was announced with Bloomberg Philanthropies.^[10]

In October 2018 the South Korean province of South Chungcheong became the first jurisdiction in Asia and the largest user of coal power to join the Alliance.^[11][12] In December 2018 Sydney, Melbourne, Scotland, Scottish Power, Senegal and Israel also joined^[13] and in September 2019 seven new members joined including Germany and Slovakia.^[5][14]

In June 2020 6 global finance organisations joined including Desjardins Group, the first major North American financial institution to join.^[15]

During 2021 at least 38 new members joined including Hungary, Uruguay,^[16] Chile, Estonia, Singapore, Slovenia and Ukraine.^[17]

Aims

Alliance members agree that:^[9]

• Governments/states will phase out existing traditional coal power.
• Governments/states will create a moratorium on any new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage.
• Businesses/organisations will power operations without coal.
• Members will ensure policies and investments support clean power.
• Members will restrict financing for traditional coal power without carbon capture and storage.

Reaction

Reacting to the launch, Tracy Carty of Oxfam said the Alliance:

"represents real and tangible progress in the fight against climate change."^[18]

Business change organisation The B Team welcomed the Alliance, and argued that exiting coal must happen as a just transition that protects vulnerable workers and communities such as coal mining communities.^[19]

Members

Members of the Powering Past Coal Alliance as of December 2023 were:^[20]

Nations

Sub-national entities

Businesses and other organisations