A UK-led coalition of countries will pledge to phase out coal power across the next two decades, under a clean energy push to be unveiled at the Glasgow climate summit.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australia will not sign the new pact, with the Morrison government adamant that it doesn't need to end coal production in order to reach its new net zero emissions by 2050 target.
The UK, which is hosting COP26, will use the conference's so-called "energy day" to declare that the end of coal is in "sight" thanks to a new agreement to phase out the use and investment in the heavy polluting fossil fuel.
While the full list of signatories to the agreement has yet to be published, countries including Canada, Chile, Germany, Italy, Spain and Vietnam are understood to have signed on.
The agreement commits major economies to end coal power in the 2030s, and in the 2040s for the rest of the world. The UK has already committed to ending coal power in October 2024.
It also commits signatories to ending public funding for new coal projects domestically and internationally.
MORE GLASGOW COVERAGE
The deal comes after the leaders of G20 countries - which include Australia, US, China, Russia and India - last weekend agreed to stop financing new coal projects overseas by the end of this year.
Australia's decision to snub the UK deal is not at all surprising, given Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Energy Minister Angus Taylor have made clear that coal and gas will remain part of the country's energy mix even as it pursues its new net zero goal.
"It [Australia's net zero plan] will not shut down coal or gas production, or require displacement of productive agricultural land," Mr Taylor said last week.
Coal represented just over half of Australia's total energy generation in 2020, according to official government figures.
The Morrison government's new net zero roadmap, announced on the eve of the Glasgow summit, predicts that coal and gas exports will continue beyond 2050, although it concedes that international demand will start to decline.
Australia also this week refused to sign a US-pledge to slash methane emissions this decade, but has agreed to other global commitments to end deforestation and ramp up the clean energy transition by 2030.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
