Powering Past Coal Announcement Shows Rise of International Collective Action; Domestic Implementation will Bring it Home

BONN, Germany (November 16, 2017) – Catherine Abreu, Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada, released the following statement as Canada and the UK launched the global Powering Past Coal Alliance with over 25 countries and subnational jurisdictions signing on.

“Today’s joint coal phaseout announcement by Canada, the United Kingdom, and 25 other countries, provinces, and cities beautifully exemplifies the kind of mounting collective action on climate that we need through the ambition-raising 2018 year.

Canada and the UK are right to kickstart the Alliance, as science tells us that OECD countries need to phase out coal by 2030 at the latest. Their efforts also reflect the economic reality that coal is on the decline. With examples like the India-led solar alliance that will add 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy by 2030, and the 100% renewable commitments from many of the worlds’ most vulnerable countries, the age of renewable energy is clearly upon us.

I am looking forward to watching as the mandate and scope of the Alliance evolves, and as membership grows. There is a particularly exciting opportunity here for the Alliance to be outward-looking, and to ensure that as the core membership  implements coal phase-out in their domestic jurisdictions, they are also seeking out opportunities to encourage themselves and other countries to shift international financing away from coal and to support jurisdictions in their efforts to make the coal-to-clean transition.

Nowhere is that transition more important than in Canada, where the federal government’s leadership in this global alliance needs to be matched by real emissions reductions at home. As negotiations unfold with provinces on the logistics of meeting the national 2030 phaseout  deadline, all jurisdictions need to be held to the same high standard to make sure we are all moving to a clean future together. There is also a critical role for the federal government to play in partnering with provinces on just transition efforts to ensure no one is left  behind and workers and communities are  strengthened as  we all benefit from cleaner air and better health.”

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CONTACT: Catherine Abreu, Executive Director, CAN-Rac Canada | +1 902 412 8953 catherineabreu@climateactionnetwork.ca

Canada’s primary network of organizations working on climate change and energy issues, CAN-Rac is a coalition of more than 100 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.