Within a decade, coal will be a thing of the past ... at least in the United Kingdom. The planned change was announced by the government's Department of Energy and Climate Change last week.

Amber Rudd, the UK's Secretary of Energy and Climate Change, said in a statement:

One of the greatest and most cost-effective contributions we can make to emission reductions in electricity is by replacing coal fired power stations with gas. We will be launching a consultation in the spring on when to close all unabated coal-fired power stations. Our consultation will set out proposals to close coal by 2025--and restrict its use from 2023. If we take this step, we will be one of the first developed countries to deliver on a commitment to take coal off the system.

Coal supplies over 20 percent of the UK's power, according to The New York Times. The gap in the energy system left by the closing coal plants will be filled by nuclear, gas, and wind power.

The timing of the announcement is purposeful. In one week, representatives from governments around the world will gather in Paris for the 21st Conference of Parties also known as COP21 or the climate conference.