PPCA’s Plan to Accelerate Coal Transitions offers a roadmap for moving from pledges to action
Belém, Brazil, 14 November 2025; At the UN Climate Summit COP30 today, the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) launched a new Plan to Accelerate Coal Transitions [1], developed with 29 countries, financial institutions and organisations, laying out concrete, actionable steps to speed up the shift from coal to clean power. The Plan aims to foster consensus on how to move from pledges to action at and beyond COP30.
Major global progress has been made on the coal-to-clean transition since the Paris Agreement was signed a decade ago, reflecting the economic, health and social opportunities that it brings [2]. But at the same time, further action is urgently needed to implement the outcomes agreed at COP28 to accelerate the phase-down of unabated coal power as well as the broader transition away from fossil fuels, supporting efforts to keep 1.5°C in reach.
Forming part of the COP30 Brazilian Presidency’s Action Agenda, the Plan aims to translate the COP28 pledge into real-world delivery, responding to the COP30 Presidency’s call to make COP30 an “Implementation COP”. It is meant to guide the 195 Parties of the Paris Agreement in their discussions at COP30 on how to move forward on the implementation of the transition away from fossil fuels. For this purpose, it assesses the key challenges and identifies existing policy, planning and financing solutions that can be scaled up, as well as areas where international collaboration is needed to rapidly develop new solutions.
The Plan has been coordinated by the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), co-chaired by the United Kingdom and Canada, and builds on two years of consultations with developed and developing countries, and financial institutions led by the Coal Transition Commission (CTC), co-chaired by Indonesia and France.
29 countries, financial institutions and organisations including Canada, Chile, Denmark, the European Commission, France, Germany, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Vanuatu, the Climate Investment Funds, the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction and South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission have provided feedback during the development of the Plan and are going to work together towards its objectives [3].
Farah Heliantina, Assistant Deputy for Acceleration of Energy Transition at Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Indonesia, and CTC Co-Chair said:
“The big theme in COP30 is to move from commitments to concrete action, and this plan is the embodiment of that. It outlines an actionable plan that can help address the broad range of challenges that coal-dependent economies like Indonesia face. This plan shows how we can move past coal and unlock the change and the upside that comes with it, including economic growth, energy security, and emission reductions.”
Katie White, Minister for Climate, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom and PPCA Co-chair, said:
“The PPCA’s new action plan will accelerate the shift from coal to clean energy around the world, and the UK is proud to support as we deliver on our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.”
Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada and PPCA Co-chair, said:
“As the world moves towards low carbon energy and clean technologies to advance economic growth and a clean environment, the coal-to-clean transition is inevitable. Working together with countries, financial institutions, and organizations to fast-track the energy transition will ensure energy security and good jobs. The Plan launched by the PPCA today is a valuable tool to effectively guide the coal transition around the world.”
Benoît Faraco, Climate Ambassador, France, said:
“For the first time on record, renewables are set to surpass coal as the leading source of electricity globally in 2025. This is an encouraging signal in our efforts to reduce coal emissions, which are key to keeping the Paris Agreement’s temperature targets within reach. With the Coal Transition Commission, co-chaired by France and Indonesia, we continue to identify practical solutions and next steps. This plan, which builds on this work, stands as one of the most concrete and comprehensive toolkits developed to date for accelerating the transition away from coal. It provides an excellent starting point for a broader discussion on the transition away from fossil fuels at this COP.”
Crispian Olver, Deputy Chair, Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa, said:
“The climate crisis is disproportionately devastating nations least responsible for it. Research is clear: the 1.5°C guardrail is in peril, with projections pointing beyond 2°C. This is not a time for deliberation, but for decisive action. The plan accelerates a just transition from coal to clean energy by aligning policy, finance, and project development. This is how we turn the commitments of COP28 into concrete progress that delivers both climate security and tangible economic and social benefits on the ground.”
Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO Climate Investment Funds, said:
“Clean energy is now the smartest choice—for stronger economies, cheaper power, and better lives. The task is making the coal-to-clean transition fair and fast. This plan provides the roadmap: by deploying flexible, fit-for-purpose finance to crowd in private capital, unlock innovation, and reward ambition, we can turn today’s momentum into lasting global progress.”
Felicity Spors, Director for Sustainable Business and Infrastructure, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said:
“The EBRD has a proven track record of combining investment with policy dialogue and technical assistance to mobilise finance at scale for renewables and sustainable infrastructure. We share the commitment of Powering Past Coal Alliance to phase out coal and we commend them for engaging proactively with emerging markets and developing economies, including through the new Plan to Accelerate Coal Transitions.”
The Plan aims to accelerate the coal-to-clean transition in the power sector in a just and orderly fashion, in line with the Paris Agreement, by identifying areas to scale up policy, planning and finance solutions. It assesses key challenges holding back progress: maintaining a secure and stable power supply through the transition, delivering just transitions through inclusive processes, securing financing and putting forward detailed national plans that reflect local contexts.
To overcome these challenges, the Plan outlines three main pillars for action:
- supporting governments to develop and implement strong enabling policies informed by their national circumstances,
- scaling finance for the just coal-to-clean transition,
- accelerating project pipeline development.
It sets out 13 practical actions to accelerate the coal transition in a timely, just and cost-effective way. First, governments, who have a primary role in accelerating the transition, will be offered assistance in developing policies and plans that give citizens, businesses and investors clarity and confidence to mobilise behind the transition. More specifically, under the Plan, the Powering Past Coal Alliance will work with emerging economies looking to develop coal-to-clean transition plans, bringing together key insights and learnings from other contexts, and supporting them to access technical assistance to develop solutions for the unique challenges they face.
Second, efforts will be undertaken to increase finance for coal transition, with a focus on mobilising private capital at scale, given the scale of financing required (estimated at USD60 billion annually between 2022 and 2030 for emerging economies outside of China). The actions outlined within the Plan focus on scaling up private and public finance as well as using innovative mechanisms to mobilize new sources of finance.
Third, work will be carried out to build on today’s coal retirement and repurposing projects towards a replicable global project pipeline. On 19th November, at COP30, the Coal Transition Commission will release two technical reports that will offer practical pathways to do just that: by identifying opportunities to scale the pipeline of coal retirement projects as well as assessing the role of flexible operation of specific coal plants in emerging markets.
ENDS
[1] Read the Plan to Accelerate Coal Transition here: https://poweringpastcoal.org/wp-content/uploads/COP30-Action-Agenda-Plan-to-Accelerate-Solutions-Accelerate-coal-transitions.pdf [2] The PPCA’s Coal Transition Factsheet includes facts and figures on the progress of coal transitions to date and the necessary next steps.The PPCA’s Solutions Bank shows 17 examples of best practice in transitioning away from coal from 5 continents.
[3] Full list of organisations who have provided feedback during the development of the Plan and are going to work together towards its objectives:- Countries and governmental bodies: Canada, Chile, Denmark, European Commission, France, Germany, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.
- Other Organisations: Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, Coal Asset Transition Accelerator, Climate Investment Funds, Climate Smart Ventures, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Energy Transition Council, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Global Renewables Alliance, Green Grids Initiative, IDB Invest, Imal Institute, Iniciativa Climatica de Mexico, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Presidential Climate Commission, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Transforma, Vancity, and We Mean Business.
The plan will be launched at a High-level event “Novel Approaches to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF), from What to How” on 14th November 2025 and then presented in detail during a PPCA High-level event “Accelerating the Coal-to-Clean Transition: Delivering on the Global Stocktake” on 17th November 2025.
The new reports of the Coal Transition Commission will be launched on 19th November, at an event “Accelerating Coal-to-Clean Transitions in Southeast Asia: Enabling coal plant retirement and flexibility”, co-hosted by Indonesia and France in Indonesia Pavilion and online here: https://www.youtube.com/live/hxGF6CWaKJg
More information about PPCA events at the COP can be found here: https://poweringpastcoal.org/cop30/
Anna Drazkiewicz, PPCA Communications Manager, 00 32 487 32 45 62, anna.drazkiewicz@poweringpastcoal.org
