The G7 is an intergovernmental organisation made up of the world's largest developed economies, including the UK, US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and Japan, making the announcement a potentially momentous swing away from fossil fuels. The communique, signed after two days of discussion in Turin, Italy, outlines a plan for countries to phase out their coal-fired plants by the first half of the decade, with a flexible deadline for those countries that are currently heavily reliant on coal. 

This flexibility allows countries to continue using coal for electricity generation if their power plants are equipped with carbon-capture technology, effectively curbing emissions. Countries with heavy coal dependence like Japan and Germany also have the option of adopting a timeline aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

“It is the first time that a path and a target has been set on coal,” said Italian minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, who chaired the meeting. 

“It is a very strong signal from industrialised countries. It is a big signal to the world to reduce coal.” 

The G7's decision comes at a critical time as the world's largest coal power consumers, China and India, continue to build new coal plants despite urgent warnings from experts. To avert a climate emergency, experts suggested shutting down six per cent of the world’s coal capacity annually from now until 2040. The agreement also represents another step towards the goals set at last year's COP28 United Nations climate summit to reduce fossil fuel usage, with coal singled out as the most harmful. 

While countries like the UK, Canada, and Italy are making strides in reducing coal power, Japan's and Germany's electricity mix still heavily relies on coal. Nevertheless, the commitment by G7 nations signifies a collective effort towards transitioning to cleaner energy sources and combating climate change on a global scale. 

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