Greek Prime Minister and the President of Hungary have just announced their intention to phase out coal production by 2028 in Greece and by 2030 in Hungary, paving the way for just transition to renewable energy.
The Greek energy mix has relied heavily on coal so far and the new lignite plant, which has been in operation for more than 2050, is currently under construction.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York the night before, making Greece the first Southeast European country to announce the final date for the final decommissioning of coal electricity. Details of the strategy for achieving this will be announced by the end of this year.
"This is a historic moment on the road to coal-free Europe by 2030. That's how it should be celebrated. Coal has suffered for decades for both the Greek economy and the health of local communities, despite the significant potential of renewable energy sources that are still underutilized. The government now needs to make detailed plans for a controlled and equitable transition from coal to renewable sources without falling into the trap of other fossil fuels such as gas and oil. What's more, it needs support for coal-based workers, communities and regions, ”said Mahi Sideridou, director of the Coal-Free Europe campaign.
On a separate occasion, the Hungarian president also announced plans in New York to suspend electricity production by 2030. Talks on coal shutdown have been ongoing in Hungary for some time. While this news is welcome, Hungary can and should strive for a more ambitious coal deadline by 2025.
The challenge for both countries, Greece and Hungary, is now to implement a clear plan for a fair transition from coal to renewable energy sources so that workers and communities relying on coal are not left behind in this change.
This news comes just days after a decision by Montenegrin authorities, announced last week by Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković, to abandon plans to build a new power plant in Pljevlja. [1]
“Although it has taken time, Montenegro is the first Western Balkan country to abandon plans to build a new thermal power plant and therefore deserves recognition. This should also serve as an example to neighbors, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, who still insist on planned new coal-fired power plants, despite the fact that they are neither economically nor ecologically justified, "said IntelliNews Pippa Gallop from the organization Bankwatch [2].
Contact:
Stevan Vujasinovic, Communications Coordinator, Climate Action Network - CAN Europe, +381 63 390 218 stevan@caneurope.org
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Europe without coal / Europe without coal (Europe Beyond Coal) is an alliance of civil society organizations dedicated to closing coal mines and coal-fired power plants, preventing the construction of new thermal power plants and accelerating the shift towards clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our groups and organizations are dedicating their time, energy and resources to this independent campaign to release Europe by 2030 or earlier www.beyond-coal.eu