Seven European countries have pledged to close all coal and natural gas power plants by 2035 to decarbonize their energy systems.
France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland signed the agreement at the Pact Energy Forum, Balkan Green Energy News reports.
It is noted that these countries of the P5+1 produce almost half of the EU's electricity, and France and Germany are the two largest electricity producers in Europe. The rapid decarbonization of the energy systems of these seven countries will significantly reduce carbon emissions in the bloc.
The joint statement emphasizes that timely decarbonization of the energy system is a prerequisite for full decarbonization by 2050. It is estimated that Europe's energy sector will be decarbonized by 2040.
The main challenges in the statement are:
- unhindered transportation and exchange of energy in the region;
- sufficient capacities for energy storage;
- greater flexibility of the future system.
According to news agencies, Europe's electricity systems will be decarbonised by the end of 2040, meaning the Group of Seven has committed to do so five years earlier.
The material said that the countries also agreed on seven principles of cooperation to achieve the set goal. Meeting these conditions will ensure that coal and gas-fired power plants will no longer be needed.
"Close cooperation between the members of the Five-Party Energy Forum will be key to the development of energy storage and the integration of renewable energy sources, including the production of green hydrogen," said European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that Minister of Climate and Energy Policy of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, announced that the government will achieve its climate goals thanks to €28 billion of investment in new projects. The country aims to reduce carbon emissions by 22 megatons by 2030.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the participants of the COP28 climate conference signed a historic agreement, which for the first time obliged the world to abandon all types of fossil fuels.
