The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) is a group of 166 countries, cities, regions and organisations aiming to accelerate the fossil-fuel phase out of coal-fired power stations, except the very few which have carbon capture and storage. It has been described as a "non-proliferation treaty" for fossil fuels. The project was undertaken with financial support from the Government of Canada, through their environmental department known as Environment and Climate Change Canada. History The Alliance was launched by Canada and the UK at the COP23 climate summit in November 2017. Announcing the launch, Climate Action Network-Canada Executive Director Catherine Abreu said: By the end of the summit, membership had grown to include over 20 countries, regions and organizations. Within a month membership had grown to over 50 . Its purpose is to establish a new international norm, or “standard of appropriate behaviour”, that coal should not be burned for power. In April 2018 a research partnership was announced with Bloomberg Philanthropies. In October 2018 the South Korean province of South Chungcheong became the first jurisdiction in Asia and the largest user of coal power to join the Alliance. In December 2018 Sydney, Melbourne, Scotland, Scottish Power, Senegal and Israel also joined and in September 2019 seven new members joined including Germany and Slovakia. In June 2020 6 global finance organisations joined including Desjardins Group, the first major North American financial institution to join. During 2021 at least 38 new members joined including Hungary, Uruguay, Chile, Estonia, Singapore, Slovenia and Ukraine. Aims Alliance members agree that: Governments/states will phase out existing traditional coal power. Governments/states will create a moratorium on any new traditional coal power stations without operational carbon capture and storage. Businesses/organisations will power operations without coal. Members will ensure policies and investments support clean power. Members will restrict financing for traditional coal power without carbon capture and storage. Reaction Reacting to the launch, Tracy Carty of Oxfam said the Alliance: Business change organisation The B Team welcomed the Alliance, and argued that exiting coal must happen as a just transition that protects vulnerable workers and communities such as coal mining communities. Members Members of the Powering Past Coal Alliance as of April 2022 were: Nations Albania Angola Austria Azerbaijan Belgium Canada Chile Costa Rica Croatia Denmark El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Montenegro Netherlands New