Scepticism over achieving climate goals casts shadow over coal commission鈥檚 first meeting
As Germany鈥檚 coal commission prepares to convene for the first time on Tuesday, environmental groups are criticising the government鈥檚 slow action on combatting climate change, writes Malte Kreutzfeldt in the taz. Organised by environmental groups like Greenpeace and BUND, over a thousand climate activists demonstrated in Berlin on Sunday, two days before the first meeting of the coal-exit commission. The activists want a coal-exit date of 2030 at the latest. 鈥淚t is high time for us to exit coal,鈥� said Martin Kaiser from Greenpeace. Martin Wolf, president and CEO of German electric utility RWE, warned that a coal phase-out by the end of next decade is not possible, however. 鈥淲hoever wants to exit coal too quickly will have to pay more for it,鈥� he said. Economy minister Peter Altmaier agrees that Germany will not be able to cease using the fuel by 2030, but environmental groups remain unconvinced.
Read the article in German .
For background, see the factsheet Germany鈥檚 coal exit commission and the article Germany starts coal exit talks in bid to improve patchy climate record.