Canada welcomes new members to the Powering Past Coal Alliance at COP25

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

News release

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson standing at a podium speaking about the Powering Past Coal Alliance during the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also referred to as COP25.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson speaking about the Powering Past Coal Alliance at COP25.

December 10, 2019 – Madrid, Spain

Phasing out coal-fired electricity is one of the most important actions that the world can take to tackle climate change. The Powering Past Coal Alliance was co-founded by Canada and the United Kingdom, in 2017, to accelerate the phase-out of traditional coal power.

Today at the international climate conference COP25, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, welcomed 6 new members including Greece, other governments from the Philippine province Ilocos Norte and from New Taipei City, and well-known financial-sector actors to the Alliance—now 97 members strong.

Canada is also targeting its climate finance investments to support developing countries transition to renewable and low-carbon energy sources. This effort includes pledging $275 million to a program through the World Bank to help developing countries phase out their dependence on coal-fired electricity generation while supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy and participating in the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership to assist developing countries with the transition to clean energy.

The Powering Past Coal Alliance is harnessing the power of its members’ collective expertise and experience to raise global ambition. The Alliance recognizes the importance of governments supporting coal workers and their communities as they prepare for new jobs and opportunities, just as Canada is doing at home.

Quotes

“The Powering Past Coal Alliance is making a significant difference in accelerating the global shift away from the most polluting form of power generation and doing so in a way that takes into account the legitimate economic concerns of citizens. We welcome the new members and look forward to their contributions to this important movement.”
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

  • New members from the financial sector: Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Caisse des Dépôts Group, and the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church.

  • The clean-growth economy is a $26 trillion economic opportunity that experts predict will create 65 million jobs around the world.

  • Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel and is responsible for 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions internationally. The burning of coal is the single-largest source of global temperature increase to date.

  • Earlier this year, Canada announced financial support of $600,000 over two years to establish an independent Powering Past Coal Alliance secretariat.

  • Canada has dedicated $185 million to support infrastructure, skills development, and economic diversification in impacted coal communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

Associated links

Contacts

Sabrina Kim
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-743-7138
sabrina.kim2@canada.ca

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
ec.media.ec@canada.ca

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