Ministers and key leaders from international organisations, industry and civil society from around the world convened for the first Global Summit of the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) on 2 March to discuss actions to accelerate the pace of the transition from coal to clean energy ahead of the UN Climate Summit (COP26) in November.
The Alliance welcomed ten new members, including Hungary which has announced its commitment to phasing out coal by 2030, showcasing the growing momentum on meeting the 2030 coal phase-out date among the EU Member States.
“Hungary joined the PPCA because we understand that phasing out coal globally requires strong international cooperation,” said State Secretary for the Development of Circular Economy, Energy and Climate Policy at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Attila Steiner. “We are ready to share our experiences regarding the implementation of our plans to realise a full transition of our biggest coal region to an economically and environmentally sustainable region by 2030.”
“The United Kingdom congratulates Hungary for its accession to the Powering Past Coal Alliance and we look forward to working even more closely together on issues such as clean energy and coal phase-out”, HMA Paul Fox, British Ambassador to Hungary said, welcoming the announcement.
While a transition away from unabated coal power is well underway, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), it is moving too slowly to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Accelerating the shift is crucial to keeping global temperature rise within 1.5°C. It would also help address the global economic crisis and create millions of new jobs in clean energy.
According to the IPCC and in line with the PPCA declaration, by 2030, four-fifths of coal electricity generation must be replaced by clean energy globally and entirely in developed countries. Setting an early date for a just and complete transition from coal to clean energy is the critical first step to reaching the long-term net-zero commitments recently adopted by most countries, including top emitters.