Thousands of workers protest while coal commission meets in lignite mining region
While the coal exit commission meets in Rhenish mining district in the state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), thousands of coal workers protested for their jobs not far from the symbolic Hambach Forest, which energy company RWE wants to cut down to make way to expand a lignite mine, reports public news programme Tagesschau. More than 30,000 protesters took part in the demonstration, according to the organisers. .
In a separate live blog, Rheinische Post writes that NRW state premier Armin Laschet spoke at the coal commission meeting. In a statement to the press afterwards, he said: "I believe the role of the world climate is greater than the question of the Hambach Forest. I have just appealed to the commission to plan a sustainable exit over time and not to cling to symbols.鈥�
Read the Tagesschau article in German and the RP blog in German .
Find background in the article Commission watch 鈥� Managing Germany鈥檚 coal phase-out and the factsheet Germany鈥檚 three lignite mining regions.