After 21 hours of continuous negotiations, it came to the end of the white smoke from the industry ministry in Berlin, where the so-called kolkommission made up about the future of the German coal.
The historic announcement means that the last coal-fired power plants proposed to be closed down within 20 years and that the phasing out should be done in three steps. Already before 2022 to some of the largest and oldest power plants to be taken out of service, something that is seen as a delseger for the environmental movement. This means that the 12.5 gigawatts disappear from the grid which corresponds to about one third of the power that comes from coal.
bid farewell to the dirty coal power, Germany could count on the reduction of carbon emissions and increased chances to achieve the climate targets. At the same time warns critics it will be expensive for taxpayers. The state shall compensate for both private individuals and companies, potentially rising electricity prices, and energy companies can expect billions in compensation for lost revenue.
Read more: Brunkolet or the climate – the world’s largest brunkolsproducent choose the path of
in Addition, the affected kolregionerna get contribution in mångmiljardklassen to cope with structural change. The next 20 years is proposed, corresponding to around 400 billion transferred to the state where thousands of jobs lost from the coal industry, which is less than what they hoped for.
generous contributions is a concern that the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AFD) to achieve new successes among voters in kolregionerna. DN has previously told of how the AFD made the fight to preserve brunkolsbrytningen to one of their profile questions.
Kolkommissionen also takes a stand for the future of the disputed forest Hambacher Forst in the west of Germany. Several years ago the camp klimataktivister in protest against plans to fell the forest to give place to a brunkolsgruva. It is ”desirable” that the logging be stopped, writes the commission.
