Economy ministry rejects NGO demand for moratorium on coal plant approvals

The approval processes for coal plants and mine expansions will not be halted while the upcoming multi-stakeholder commission on Germany’s coal exit – the so-called coal commission – discusses the country’s phase-out-path, indicates the economy ministry (BMWi) in reply to a parliamentary inquiry by the Greens, writes Thorsten Knuf in Frankfurter Rundschau. Environmental NGOs had called for this in a letter to the federal government, writes Knuf. In the reply dated 10 April, seen by the Clean Energy Wire, the ministry writes that the commission itself will develop the “measures to reduce and end coal-fired power generation”. The BMWi writes that the composition of the commission has not yet been finalised, but that the ministry is not aware of any reasons that would delay the plan to develop an action programme - including an end date for coal - by the end of 2018.

Find the article in German here.

For background, read the factsheet When will Germany finally ditch coal? and the portraits Merkel puts long-time confidant in charge of energy transition and New German environment minister faces steep uphill battle on climate.