UNITED KINGDOM

In 2015, the United Kingdom (UK) was the first national government to announce a commitment to phase out unabated coal use, setting a target date of 2025 (which was later brought forward to 2024). As the UK’s Powering Past Coal Alliance website profile notes, the decision was notable given the history of coal use in the UK. In 1882, England was the first country to use coal to generate electricity. During the 1980s, coal provided over 70% of its electricity. This figure fell during the 1990s following investments in gas. But, as recently as 2012, coal generation still provided 40% of the country’s electricity generation from a coal fleet of over 27,000 megawatts (MW). Market trends and new government policies, including a carbon tax for power plants in 2013, combined to rapidly decrease coal generation to less than 2% of electricity in 2021. As of June 2024, the UK has 2,172 MW of operating coal capacity at a single coal plant, following retirements of coal plants in 2023 totaling 3,062 MW of capacity. Since 2020, historic “coal-free day” streaks are frequent in the UK. In September 2021, the UK was part of the coalition of national governments that launched the No New Coal Power Compact, which requires supporters to cease permitting of new coal power plants and end new construction of unabated coal plants by the end of 2021. In its most recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), submitted in September 2022, the United Kingdom committed to reduce its emissions by at least 68% below 1990 levels by 2030.