Exposing the role of coal in Europe – launch of European Coal Map

There is now a comprehensive overview of existing and planned coal power plants that also displays key information on pollution and health impact, presented by the Climate Action Network (CAN).

Despite its claim of being a leader in the fight against climate change, the European Union still has around 280 coal power plants, operating in 22 different EU member states. The majority of these plants are more than 30 years old, meaning they are inefficient, polluting and outdated. Burning coal caused 17 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union in 2014. Still, European countries continue to invest tens of billions in the ailing industry.

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe exposes these shocking and disturbing facts on the coal business in the online Coal Map of Europe (www.coalmap.eu). Based on extensive research into Europe’s non-transparent coal fleet and using a range of public data sources, CAN Europe has calculated key figures on the coal industry. The NGO has visualised the most crucial aspects of the story of coal power in eight different maps.

For the first time there is now a full and comprehensive overview of the fleet of existing and planned coal power plants that also displays key information on pollution and health impacts from burning coal. The Coal Map also highlights how governments are still heavily involved in this industry through state-owned companies, as well as by providing enormous subsidies.

The Coal Map introduces fifteen reports of local and national fights against coal power plants and mines. From Scotland to Turkey, citizens and NGOs are tied in lengthy legal battles to get rid of coal. And not without success: in recent years, the majority of new coal project proposals have been cancelled.

The local fight is quickly turning into a pan-European story against coal. In Italy an operating power plant was shut down on court orders in March 2014, on the basis of manslaughter. Legal experts in the Czech Republic managed to link the fate of the islands of Micronesia to upgrading a power plant in the country. In Germany, the debate on phasing out coal is no longer about if, but about when and how. Norway’s parliament decided that the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth fund is to divest from several coal businesses across the world, after months of international protests.

“European countries are still addicted to coal for the production of electricity, but opportunities for phasing out coal altogether have never been better,” says Kathrin Gutmann, Coal Policy Coordinator at CAN Europe. “Renewables are booming and energy demand is going down, so utilities are already losing billions of euros a year on their coal assets. Therefore we need more governments to act now and get rid of coal. Coal really is the low-hanging fruit in the fight against climate change. If the EU wants to be a leader in the international climate negotiations, then coal will have to go.”

Source: CAN Europe Pressrelease
Link: www.coalmap.eu

In this issue

1.5°C target adequate for Paris agreement

The 2°C goal for global warming is inadequate. Risks increase significantly between 1.5 and 2°C, a UN review of climate targets concludes.

Editorial: The road from Paris

At the UN climate conference in December 2015 in Paris, 196 countries will hopefully adopt a new global agreement for strong greenhouse gas reductions.

Environment MEPs want stricter air pollutant caps

Member states should meet stricter 2025 and 2030 air pollution reduction targets and mercury should also be included in the National Emission Ceilings directive, says the Parliament’s Environment Committee.

A future based on 100 % renewable energy for all is achievable

Greenpeace has launched the new edition of the popular Energy [R]evolution report “How to Achieve 100% Renewable Energy for All by 2050”.

Film:1.5 Stay Alive

AirClim has co-published a 50-minute documentary and Caribbean music film about climate change in the coastal zones of the Caribbean Region.

Exposing the role of coal in Europe – launch of European Coal Map

There is now a comprehensive overview of existing and planned coal power plants that also displays key information on pollution and health impact, presented by the Climate Action Network (CAN).

Deal on pollution from medium combustion plants

While EU-wide application of readily available emission abatement techniques would reduce NOx emissions from these plants by more than 80 per cent by 2025, the new directive will deliver less than half of this reduction.

Weak EU coal pollution standards carry high costs

Draft new EU emission limits for coal-fired power stations are so weak that they could result in health damage, including the loss of over 23 million working days, which would cost over €52 billion between 2020 and 2029.

140 000 life-years lost each year in London because of air pollution

Inclusion of the impact of nitrogen dioxide for the first time suggests that more than twice as many people as previously thought die prematurely from air pollution in London.

Lower speed – less emissions?

Ships in the Mediterranean Sea have reduced their speed by more than 30 per cent since 2008, which has led to a 45 per cent cut in average ship NOx emission factors.

Emissions keep on slowly shrinking

Air pollutant emissions from land-based sources are continuing to fall slightly, but considerably slower than before. Some of the reductions on land are also countered by rising emissions from international shipping.

Pledges for the 2015 UN climate agreement

South Korea plans to cut emissions by 37 percent by 2030, and China plans to boost renewables. As the Paris conference approaches, countries are submitting their plans for greenhouse gas reductions.

Dirty diesel cars tested

Emissions tests on 32 Euro 6 diesel passenger cars from ten different manufacturers and with different abatement technologies show that most cars fail to meet the NOx emissions standards under more realistic driving conditions.

Lignite villages have been needlessly destroyed

Lignite has a low energy output and requires huge quantities to be mined, which has a devastating impact on landscapes and settlements. Even so, many countries are still committed to the fuel.

EU air pollution emissions still exceeded

Ten EU countries breached at least one of their air pollutant emission ceilings in 2013, preliminary data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows.

Main menu

Exposing the role of coal in Europe – launch of European Coal Map

In this issue

1.5°C target adequate for Paris agreement

Editorial: The road from Paris

Environment MEPs want stricter air pollutant caps

A future based on 100 % renewable energy for all is achievable

Film:1.5 Stay Alive

Exposing the role of coal in Europe – launch of European Coal Map

Deal on pollution from medium combustion plants

Weak EU coal pollution standards carry high costs

140 000 life-years lost each year in London because of air pollution

Lower speed – less emissions?

Emissions keep on slowly shrinking

Pledges for the 2015 UN climate agreement

Dirty diesel cars tested

Lignite villages have been needlessly destroyed

EU air pollution emissions still exceeded

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

What we do

Air pollution

Climate Change

Policy initiatives

Do Your Bit!