Minister Gabriel calls for "job alternatives, structural alternatives" before talks about coal-exit commission
Federal Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel is against establishing a commission to set a date on the phase-out of coal in Germany. Gabriel objected to the proposed commission as it would not address the situation of coal sector workers, saying it was necessary to present 鈥渏ob alternatives, structural alternatives to those who work in lignite, before starting to talk about reducing lignite.鈥� The minister was speaking today at the Innovation Congress 2016 in Berlin, organised by mining, chemicals and energy industries trade union IG BCE. He said merely setting a date to give up coal 鈥渋s exactly what we shouldn鈥檛 do, if we want to take along the citizens regarding the Energiewende鈥�. The remarks reinforced Gabriel鈥檚 statements from June. In January, Gabriel had called for a round table on the future of coal.
For background, read the 麻豆无码版 article Coal exit proposal reveals faultlines in energy debate.