London Climate Action Week
25th June • 8:30am – 10:00am • Guildhall, London
Please arrive from 08:00am for registration, coffee and refreshments as we will start the event at 8:30am sharp.
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Paris Agreement, we have the opportunity to reflect on the significant effect it has had on coal power. The Agreement underlined the need for a complete transformation of our economies and societies, sending a signal that spurred tremendous progress in phasing out coal. For example, since 2015, the global pipeline of new coal power plants has fallen by 76% and three-quarters of OECD countries have taken steps that will allow them to eliminate coal power by 2030. Countries moving away from coal are seeing clear economic benefits, enabling them to build more competitive green supply chains, access lower energy prices, and fuel economic growth.
However, despite the vast benefits, challenges remain, especially in emerging economies with younger coal fleets and growing energy demand. There is still much to be done to support these economies through their transitions to clean power. By including clear commitments to No New Coal and plans to transition away from coal in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in the run-up to COP30 this year, coal-dependent countries can give other governments, businesses and investors the certainty they need to mobilise support.
Held at London Climate Action Week on June 25th at 8:30 – 10:00am BST, this Powering Past Coal Alliance event will showcase the progress made in this 10-year period, explore key learnings, and outline what must be done next.
Event hosts UK Minister of State for Climate, Kerry McCarthy, and the Ambassador of Chile to the United Kingdom, Ximena Fuentes Torrijo, alongside other high-level government speakers, will share inspiring and informative case studies demonstrating how coal-to-clean transitions can be done rapidly and effectively, whilst protecting local communities and workers. Policy makers, investors, businesses, and financial institutions will also discuss how the challenges of coal to clean transitions can be met through international cooperation, investment, and solutions tailored to national contexts.
Agenda
Event compere: Julia Skorupska, Head of the Powering Past Coal Alliance Secretariat
Opening remarks
- Kerry McCarthy, Minister for Climate, United Kingdom and PPCA Co-Chair
- Diego Pardow, Minister of Energy, Chile (video message)
Panel discussion one: Challenges and progress in delivering a coal-to-clean transition
- Vera Rodenhoff – Deputy Director General for International Climate Action and International Energy Transition, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), Germany
- Shahjehan Mirza, Managing Director of Private Power Infrastructure Board, and CEO of Alternate Energy Development Board , Pakistan
- Ravi Menon, Ambassador for Climate Action, Singapore
- Benoît Faraco, Climate Ambassador, France
Moderated by Ximena Fuentes, Ambassador of Chile to the United Kingdom
Panel discussion two: From commitment to completion: lessons learnt from Europe’s phase-outs
- Sinead Walsh, Climate Director, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
- Alberto Pela, G7 and G20 negotiator, Ministry of Environment, Italy
- Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, Director of Climate Change and Alliances, Iberdrola
Moderated by Pallavi Singh, Diplomatic Lead, Powering Past Coal Alliance
Panel discussion three: Enabling governments to transition with solutions, best practices and partnerships
- Anjali Viswamohanan, Director of Policy, Asia Investor Group on Climate Change
- Constance Chalchat, Chief Sustainability Officer of BNP Paribas Corporate & Institutional Banking & Global Markets
- Anand Rajagopal, Head of Sustainability/ESG Research, Phoenix Group Asset Management
- Andrew Prag, Managing Director for Policy, We Mean Business
Moderated by Priya Shankar, Environment Program, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Closing remarks
- Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All
