Over 40 countries, including Ukraine, pledge to quit coal

More than 40 countries, including Ukraine, have agreed to phase out their use of coal-fired power, the dirtiest fuel source, at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, according to The Guardian.

Major coal-using countries, including Canada, Poland, Ukraine and Vietnam, will phase out their use of coal for electricity generation, with the bigger economies doing so in the 2030s, and smaller economies doing so in the 2040s, the report said.

The goal of "consigning coal to history" has been a key focus for the UK as host of the COP26 summit, which aims to put the world on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

According to the International Energy Agency, coal use is one of the biggest causes of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Today marks a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change, as nations from all corners of the world unite in Glasgow to declare that coal has no part to play in our future power generation. Today's ambitious commitments made by our international partners demonstrate that the end of coal is in sight," said Kwasi Kwarteng, the UK's business secretary.

The COP26 UN Climate Change Conference began in Glasgow on October 31 and will last until November 12. 

op