“Hambach Forest could become for coal what Fukushima has been for nuclear power” – opinion

The embattled Hambach Forest could turn out to become a symbol for Germany’s acclerated coal exit as much as the nuclear disaster in Fukushima became a symbol for the country’s accelerated nuclear exit, Jürgen Flauger writes in a commentary for Handelsblatt. “The political pressure to end lignite [brown coal] mining in the Rhineland and Lusatia and to give up coal-fired power production with hard and brown coal is enormous,” Flauger says, adding that “Hambach could become a second Fukushima” for energy companies like RWE. “Just like after Fukushima, a decision based on consensus has become unlikely,” he adds, saying that environmental organisations will now become even more adamant that coal-fired power production comes to an end in Germany soon. “This is regrettable,” Flauger says, arguing that a “slam on the brakes” is neither technically feasible for coal nor desirable as it will result in years of litigation over compensation claims by the energy companies.

Read the commentary in German here.

For background, read the CLEW article German court stops controversial clearing of forest for lignite mine.