JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said on Monday it would stop the use of coal by 2030, joining a host of other countries in an alliance that aims to transition to cleaner sources of energy.
The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), launched by Canada and Great Britain, seeks to gradually reduce the production of electricity from coal and to support clean energy in government and corporate policies. It supports a reduction in the use of coal in OECD countries by 2030 and the world by 2050.
Some 28 countries have already joined the PPCA.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said his ministry was "working to accelerate the entry of clean and renewable energies into Israel and would continue to act to reduce air pollution".
Israel has been reducing coal use and shifting to natural gas. The energy and environment ministries, in a joint statement, noted that steps in recent years have led to a 25 percent drop in electricity production from coal since 2015, while the emission of pollutants have fallen tens of percent.
(Reporting by Steven Scheer)
