āWeāve looked the other way too longā
Western Germanyās coal mining regions have long profited from mining companiesā cash flow into local communities but in exchange have tacitly agreed not to talk about immediate effects on the environment, disappearing villages, and emissions, Burkhard Giesen writes in a op-ed for Aachener Nachrichten. āLet others deal with itā has been the consensus, and that is what they are now doing, as protestors flock to the Rhineland from across Europe to demonstrate against the coal industry, Giesen writes. āThe energy transition starts on our own doorstep and climate change is no dream of the future but already dictates everyday life in many countries,ā he says, adding that ālignite is not going to be a part of that future.ā&²Ō²ś²õ±č;
See the commentary in German (behind paywall).
See the Āé¶¹ĪŽĀė°ę factsheet When will Germany finally ditch coal? for more information.