Press release: 29 May 2019

Legislation needed to move EU beyond coal – ClientEarth responds to report

ClientEarth lawyers have responded to a new report published today by Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and Sandbag revealing that many EU countries are claiming funding for the energy transition despite no plans to phase out coal by the internationally recognised deadline of 2030.

Reacting to the report, ClientEarth lawyer Raphael Soffer said:

“A swift and effective phase-out of coal-fired power can only be achieved through the implementation of a formal law.

“The commitments made under the Paris Agreement are clear, and to meet them, all EU countries must phase out coal by 2030. This requires concrete plans and laws to ensure the energy transition is fair for all and leaves no one behind. It is vital – and the law requires – that the public has a say in this.

“In countries like Germany, which scored very badly in this report, recommendations for a phase-out have been proposed, but legislation has yet to follow. This means uncertainty for workers or renewable energy investors, while allowing coal industry companies like RWE to continue to dominate the energy market and prevent reaching our climate protection goals.”

ClientEarth and Greenpeace Germany recently launched a draft law, which builds on the recommendations of the Coal Commission by setting out a blueprint to phase out coal in Germany.

ENDS

About ClientEarth

ClientEarth is a charity that uses the power of the law to protect people and the planet. We are international lawyers finding practical solutions for the world’s biggest environmental challenges. We are fighting climate change, protecting oceans and wildlife, making forest governance stronger, greening energy, making business more responsible and pushing for government transparency. We believe the law is a tool for positive change. From our offices in London, Brussels, Warsaw, Berlin and Beijing, we work on laws throughout their lifetime, from the earliest stages to implementation. And when those laws are broken, we go to court to enforce them.