Slovakia to quit coal by 2023 and go climate neutral by 2050
Bratislava, Slovakia, June 18th 2019 – According to the joint statement of freshly inaugurated President Čaputová and Prime Minister Pellegrini of Slovakia the country will stop burning coal to produce electricity until the end of 2023 as well as it announces its support for EU 2050 carbon neutrality target.
Greenpeace Slovakia campaigner Radek Kubala welcomed the decision:
"If the Prime Minister keeps his word, then Slovakia will become the first country in the Visegrad Group which has officially decided to put an end to the production of electricity from coal. At the same time it is joining those 21 EU states which are already supporting EU carbon neutrality by 2050. This is an important step for Slovakia and the region as it demonstrates true leadership in times of climate emergency.”
The government now needs to update accordingly and adopt the Action Plan of transformation of the region Horná Nitra, which in its latest version already contained an end date of coal mining in Slovakia. A decision is expected at the beginning of July. The government also needs to make sure that the announced 2023 phase out date is incorporated into the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) as a closing date of both coal plants Nováky and Vojany and secure the just transition in the regions.
With this decision, Slovakia is sending a clear message to the rest of the V4 countries that quitting coal in the region is not just possible but is the only way forward if we want to successfully address the existing climate emergency.
“With this historic announcement, Slovakia has finally stopped acting as a partner in crime with Poland when it comes to coal burning and fuelling climate crisis. This is a breakthrough split in the V4 Group, making the Polish government an even more isolated coal laggard and climate killer. The majority of Poles want coal phase out until 2030 but the government is holding them back” – says Iwo Łoś, climate campaigner from Greenpeace Poland.
Contacts:
Ivana Kohutková, office director of Greenpeace Slovakia, 0905 921 918, ivana.kohutkova@greenpeace.org
Iwo Łoś, climate and energy campaigner, Greenpeace Poland, +48 513 172 537, iwo.los@greenpeace.org