Britain to become first G7 country to end coal power as last plant closes

On Monday, Britain will become the first G7 nation to end coal-fired power generation with the closure of its last coal plant, Uniper's Ratcliffe-on-Soar in the Midlands. This marks the end of over 140 years of coal power in Britain. In 2015, the UK announced plans to phase out coal plants within a decade, and at that time, coal accounted for nearly 30% of its electricity. By last year, coal’s contribution had dropped to just over 1%.

Julia Skorupska, Head of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, highlighted that Britain’s swift phase-out of coal power sets a precedent for other nations. This reduction in coal usage has significantly helped cut Britain's greenhouse gas emissions, which have dropped by more than half since 1990. As part of its goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the UK aims to decarbonize its electricity sector by 2030, which will require a major expansion of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks emphasized that while the coal era is ending, it opens up new opportunities for jobs in the renewable energy sector. Emissions from energy account for about 75% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally, and scientists stress the need to limit fossil fuel use to meet the Paris climate agreement targets.

In April, the G7 countries committed to eliminating coal power by the mid-2030s, though countries heavily dependent on coal, such as Japan and Germany, were given more flexibility. Christine Shearer from Global Energy Monitor noted the need for further efforts to meet or even accelerate the 2035 target, particularly in coal-reliant nations like Japan, where coal provides over 30% of electricity, and Germany, where it still accounts for more than 25%.