Seoul: South Korea on Monday announced that it has joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), committing to close 40 coal-fired power plants by 2040. The announcement was made at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, making South Korea the second country in Asia, after Singapore, to join the coalition.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the PPCA was launched at COP23 in Germany in 2017 and aims to phase out unabated coal power, which refers to plants that do not use technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As part of its membership, South Korea, which has the world's seventh-largest operating coal power capacity, pledged not to build any new unabated coal plants.

The country also reaffirmed its plan to shut down 40 existing coal-fired units by 2040. The Seoul government stated that it will decide the future of about 20 remaining coal units after public consultations, taking into account economic and environmental feasibility. A detailed plan is expected by next year.

Climate Minister Kim Sung-hwan, who is leading the South Korean delegation, emphasized the importance of the coal phaseout, stating, "The coal phaseout is not only necessary for the climate but also beneficial for energy security, corporate competitiveness and job creation not only for South Korea but all other countries."

In a related development, Bahrain also joined the PPCA on Monday. Although Bahrain has never operated coal-fired power plants, it pledged not to build any in the future and expressed its aim to align with the global shift away from coal.