Britain is set to become the first among the G7 countries to end coal-fired power production by pulling the shutters down on its last coal plant, Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar, in the Midlands of England.
The closure of its final plant will end over 140 years of using coal power in Britain.
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In 2015, Britain revealed plans to phase out coal plants within a decade as part of broader efforts to meet its climate goals. At that time, nearly 30% of the country’s electricity was generated from coal, which dropped to just over 1% last year, as per a Reuters report.
The reduction of coal usage has helped to cut Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions, which have fallen by half since 1990.
The country has set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and plans to decarbonize the electricity sector by 2030. This proposition will require a rapid scaling of renewable power.
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Energy-related emissions account for approximately three-quarters of total greenhouse gas emissions, and scientists have emphasized the need to reduce fossil fuel use to achieve the targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement.
In April, the G7 industrialized nations committed to phasing out coal power by the first half of the next decade, but allowed some flexibility for economies heavily dependent on coal, drawing criticism from environmental groups.