UK says goodbye to coal fired power

It's the first country in the world to do so, setting a fine example to others.

The UK’s aging coal-fired power stations are responsible for 79 per cent of power sector emissions, and an estimated 1,600 premature deaths every year. 

And as the country gets ready to say goodbye to coal, the UK’s renewable industry is going from strength to strength, producing 17.8 per cent of electricity in the last three months of 2014. 

Commentators say the announcement represents another “warning shot for investors” highlighting dirty coal is no longer a sound investment. 

The message is clear; continued support for coal, such as that seen by many OECD countries, flies in the face of the global reality that renewables are in and coal on its way out. 

A smooth transition to a clean energy future starts with a phase out of coal, protecting health of citizens and the climate, and providing business confidence and long term security for clean alternatives. - See more

Yet Abbott wants to create the biggest coal mine in the southern hemisphere. For a gov that's all about investment and business, you'd think they'd realise not to invest in such a dying industry.