In 2016, the international Exit Coal Now petition featured on ExitCoalNow.org was launched by the Paris-based NGO Saving Our Planet, with the support of a few partner organizations. This petition calls for a coal power plant ban by 2040, because coal power plants are the climate and health hazards which are easiest to replace in the electric power mix of most countries. In fact, without that measure, countries like France would not be able to meet the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target set forth its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in the Paris Agreement.

But there is another twist: some countries cannot reduce their carbon footprint because they have not decided to exit coal any time soon. From the global warming point of view, pledging to shut down coal power plants after 2040 amounts to treating the patients after their deaths. This is exactly what has motivated some countries listed in the Exit Coal Now Country page: https://exitcoalnow.org/ECNlist.html

At COP22, professional CO2 Capture scientists admitted that, while there are solutions to store CO2 from industrial processes, there would never be enough for power plants: it just does not make sense to even try. All CO2 storage capacity should be reserved for industrial CO2-intensive processes, which are hard to replace. If those countries which still rely on coal power do not change course before 2020, the Paris Agreement objectives will be impossible to reach. So, now is the time to realize that the simplest, most effective climate action is to shut down power plants before 2040.

This is a must to reach the Paris agreement. This single class of public policies can reduce CO2 emissions by 20%. Conversely, most NDCs will not be met without this specific policy.

To sign the petition follow the link to it on the ExitCoalNow.org page or go to the Change.org petition page: https://www.change.org/p/high-level-climate-champion-cop23
Then try to get 10 people you know, colleagues, family and friends to sign and do likewise.