G7 Agrees to Close Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2035

The Group of Seven (G7) has agreed to shut down coal-fired power plants by 2035 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Andrew Bowie, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, stated in an interview with CNBC on the 29th (local time), "We have agreed to phase out coal use in the early 2030s," adding, "This is a historic agreement."

Bowie, attending the G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers' Meeting held in Turin, northern Italy, also confirmed that this agreement will be included in the joint statement to be released on the 30th. If so, it marks a further step forward following the consensus reached among parties at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) at the end of last year to reduce coal-fired power generation.

Bowie emphasized, "This is a historic agreement that was not achieved at last year's Dubai COP28," and said, "It is truly remarkable to send a signal to the world that the G7 has committed to phasing out coal-fired power plants."

The G7 countries are also taking steps individually to phase out fossil fuels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced regulations last week aimed at fully reducing carbon emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. Italy plans to close five of its six coal-fired power plants by 2025, except for the one on Sardinia Island, which has a deadline of 2028.

Major foreign media are particularly noting that Japan is included in this agreement. CNN pointed out, "There has been significant controversy over the phase-out timeline at international climate talks," and added, "Japan, which relied on coal for 32% of its electricity in 2023, had previously blocked progress on this issue at G7 meetings." At last year's G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers' Meeting held in Japan, the joint statement included only a commitment to accelerate the phased reduction of fossil fuel use for greenhouse gas reduction without specifying a concrete phase-out timeline.

Luca Bergamaschi, co-founder of Italy's climate change think tank ECCO, said on X (formerly Twitter), "This will especially help accelerate the transition of investments from the coal economy to clean technologies in Japan and, more broadly, across Asia including China and India."