German coal states demand more influence in coal-exit commission

The four major German coal states demand a “stronger voice” in the planned commission tasked with preparing the end of coal-fired power production in the country, Andreas Mihm writes in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. In a letter to Chancellor Angela Merkel, the state premiers of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt say the so-called “special commission on growth, structural economic change and employment” should consist of at least two envoys from each coal state, from affected municipalities, the industry, labour unions, scientists and others. They do not say environmental organisations should be part of the commission, even though they are mentioned in the federal government’s coalition treaty, Mihm writes. The commission is supposed to find an end date for coal power in Germany in 2018 and define ways to manage the structural change.

Read the article in German here.

See the CLEW article New government gets little credit in quest to regain climate lead and the CLEW factsheet Coal in Germany for more information.