In 2003, the Australian Coal Association (ACA) invited representatives from the coal and electricity industries, unions, federal and state governments and the research community to form the COAL21 partnership. The main outcome of this partnership was the COAL21 Action Plan, launched in 2004, which provided the blueprint for accelerating the demonstration and deployment of technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-based electricity generation.
In 2006 the ACA announced the establishment of the COAL21 Fund as part of a world-first, whole-of-industry funding approach to support greenhouse gas abatement. The COAL21 Fund is raising over $1 Billion over 10 years from a voluntary levy on coal production to support the pre-commercial demonstration of low emissions technologies in the power generation sector (where over 95 per cent of emissions from coal occur) and supporting R&D.
The coal industry, the ACA and its members are also active participants in a number of national and international programs and fora related to greenhouse issues and technology development.