EU member states should accelerate the move to renewable energy systems by speeding up the phase out of coal-fired generation, according to a new report from green groups Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and Sandbag.
The report – ‘Just transition or just talk’ – said that only eight of the 21 EU members are committed to phasing out coal by 2030 in their draft National Energy and Climate Plans.
Two more plan to phase out coal, but this goal is not explicitly stated in the draft plans, it added.
The countries that will use the most coal in 2030 are Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, CAN Europe and Sandbag said.
They called on the European Commission to hold member states to account on the quality of the draft plans to ensure countries properly plan for the phase out of coal.
Support for the transition to cleaner power should also be conditional on member states making credible commitments to the move, the report said.
This would help to increase investor certainty to scale up investments in renewables, as well as energy efficiency, storage and demand side response measures, it added.
Falling costs of clean power mean that green energy will be cheaper than coal in all member states by 2020, the report said.
Sandbag energy and policy analyst Charles Moore said: “Coal-reliant member states want to have their cake and eat it with just transition funding.
“The European Commission can only continue to support these Member States if they come up with realistic plans for moving away from coal.”
The National Energy and Climate Plans should outline how member states will meet EU climate and renewables targets to 2030.
They are to be finalised by the end of the year.