石炭火力全廃へ20か国と7組織が連合　

Alliance は石炭火力を順次無くしていき、石炭火力建設の資金を制限し、低カーボンの代替電力やCCUS（カーボン回収・貯留・利用）技術を進める政策を奨励する。　

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これは、米国がクリーンな石炭技術が途上国にとって実行可能なエネルギー政策であるとするのと対照的である。

日本も、「日米戦略エネルギーパートナーシップ（JUSEP）」で、先進的な原子力技術の促進、高効率の石炭火力技術 (HELE) の展開などを掲げていることや、途上国の石炭火力発電所建設を支援していることで、批判されている。

世界各国の環境NGO でつくる「気候行動ネットワーク」（CAN：Climate Action Network）は11月9日、地球温暖化対策に後ろ向きな国に贈られる「化石賞 (Fossil of the Day Award)」を発表したが、日本は化石賞の常連で、本年も与えられた。

「気候行動ネットワーク」は11月16日、「パリ協定」から離脱宣言した米政府に、温暖化対策に極めて後ろ向きだとして「特大化石賞」（Colossal Fossil Award）を贈った。

米国はトランプ政権はパリ協定から離脱し、石炭火力を推進するが、米国の123の市・9つの州・902の企業と投資家・183大学などが、「We are still in」（われわれはパリ協定に残る）としている。

2017/11/14 日本の石炭火力支援への批判

今後、"Powering Past Coal Alliance" に加盟する国は増加すると見られており、石炭火力発電を国内で続けるだけでなく、開発途上国に石炭火力技術を提供する日本は、孤立し、世界から批判されることにもなりかねない。

既に、温暖化ガス削減を妨げる勢力ともみられ始めている。産業界には世界の潮流に取り残されれば国際競争上、不利になるとの懸念もある。　

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"Powering Past Coal Alliance" の宣言

In 2015, the world gathered in Paris and committed to take action to spur clean growth and avoid catastrophic climate change.

Coal-fired power plants produce almost 40 per cent of global electricity today, making carbon pollution from coal a leading contributor to climate change. The health effects of air pollution from burning coal, including respiratory diseases and premature deaths, impose massive costs in both human and economic terms. Recent analysis has found that more than 800,000 people die each year around the world from the pollution generated by burning coal.

As a result, phasing out traditional coal power is one of the most important steps governments can take to tackle climate change and meet our commitment to keep global temperature increase well below 2°C, and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

To meet the Paris Agreement, analysis shows that coal phase-out is needed no later than by 2030 in the OECD and EU28, and no later than by 2050 in the rest of the world.

The cost of generating electricity from wind and solar have plummeted, with the result that clean power is the low-cost option in a growing number of jurisdictions worldwide. Global investments in new renewable power now significantly surpass those in new coal-fired electricity, and clean growth represents an opportunity worth trillions of dollars.

Countries moving to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies are already seeing environmental, economic and human health benefits. Our coalition wants to help accelerate that transition.

Powering Past Coal brings together a diverse range of governments, businesses and organisations that are united in taking action to accelerate clean growth and climate protection through the rapid phase-out of traditional coal power. We commit to achieve that phase-out in a sustainable and economically inclusive way, including appropriate support for workers and communities.

More specifically:
・Government partners commit to phasing out existing traditional coal power in their jurisdictions, and to a moratorium on any new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage within their jurisdictions.

・Business and other non-government partners commit to powering their operations without coal.

・All partners commit to supporting clean power through their policies (whether public or corporate, as appropriate) and investments, and to restricting financing for traditional coal power without carbon capture and storage.

To support these goals, the partners in Powering Past Coal will work together to share real-world examples and best practices to support the phase-out of coal, including through climate financing, and to adopt practical initiatives to support this transition, including developing clean energy plans and targets.

We will also encourage our peers to join us in powering past coal to build a better world for our kids and grandkids.

As founding partners, we will work to grow the alliance to 50 partners by COP24, to continue the momentum towards a safer climate, healthier people, and a clean economy.