The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, launched the Coal Transition Partnerships initiative at the UN Climate Summit (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, offering tailored and coordinated support to countries seeking to move away from coal toward cleaner, more affordable power systems. The initiative responds directly to what organisers describe as a central challenge of COP31: accelerating the implementation of climate commitments amid a global energy crisis.

What the Coal Transition Partnerships Offer

Each partnership will be tailored to individual countries' priorities and circumstances, providing rapid support to power sector decision-makers — including governments and utilities — at the critical early stages of a coal-to-clean transition. The partnerships aim to help nations develop robust transition plans and prepare investable projects capable of tapping at least $23 billion already allocated to the coal transition globally, much of which reportedly remains unused.

That figure comes from the Coal-to-Clean Finance Catalogue published by the PPCA in October 2026, which identified a significant financing gap between available funds and deployed capital. The partnerships are designed to bridge precisely that gap by connecting countries with existing technical and financial support.

Eight Partners and Political Backing

Eight finance and technical organisations have joined the initiative: the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), RMI, the Carbon Trust, TransitionZero, the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), and Clean Energy Bridge. They will work alongside the PPCA to connect participating countries with these existing support structures.

Politically, the initiative has the backing of PPCA government members including Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Britain. Oman, which has never operated coal-fired power, also joined the PPCA at COP31, pledging to maintain a coal-free power system. The alliance now counts 184 national and subnational governments, businesses, and organisations among its members.

The Energy Crisis Complication

The launch comes against a backdrop of acute energy market stress. Scarce and expensive natural gas has pushed energy security to the top of government agendas, with some nations turning back to coal as a short-term fix. Organisers warn that such short-term decisions risk locking countries into coal for decades through new investments and infrastructure, pushing up both costs and emissions.

Notably, while clean power is projected to be substantially cheaper over the long term, navigating the transition during an ongoing energy crisis — while managing rising electricity demand — is what the partnerships specifically aim to address. This is the third major multilateral coal-transition mechanism launched under PPCA auspices since the alliance's formation, reflecting persistent gaps between ambition and implementation.

Key Voices: UK and Indonesia

Katie White, UK Minister for Climate Transition and PPCA Co-Chair, said, 'Britain has already moved beyond coal power, and we're far from alone. Countries around the world are joining forces to make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy. Working with Canada and other partners, we're sharing what we've learned and helping more countries make that change, cutting costs and strengthening energy security for us all.'

Farah Heliantina, Assistant Deputy for the Acceleration of Energy Transition in Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs and Co-Chair of the Coal Transition Commission, said the transition was 'essential not only for enhancing competitiveness and developing a more modern energy system, but also for supporting sustainable economic growth.' She acknowledged that 'our experience has taught us how challenging this transition can be, particularly as we navigate rapidly rising electricity demand and global energy market uncertainties.'

Timeline and Scale

The first country-led partnerships are expected to be announced in 2027. By COP33 in 2028, the initiative aims to support around 10 of the world's 21 most coal-dependent countries identified by the International Energy Agency (IEA), with a focus on those at the earliest planning stages of the transition. Organisers say that, combined with countries already developing transition plans, this would put the large majority of the world's most coal-dependent economies on a clear path to clean power.