North Macedonia will be the first country in the Western Balkans to quit coal. The country will close its two coal plants by 2027, a date that is compatible with the UN Paris climate agreement.
North Macedonia signed up to the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), a coalition of national and sub-national governments, businesses and organisations working to advance the transition from coal power generation to clean energy.
Another Western Balkans country, Montenegro, has also joined the alliance, but its 2035 phase out plan overshoots UN Paris climate agreement compatibility by five years.