As German climate activists protest the expansion of a coal mine, our reporter roachsn looks at the question some politicians are grappling with: is it OK to use more coal now, if it means more rapid decarbonisation later?
Around one fifth of electricity produced in Germany comes from coal, and it’s been increasing.
Most politicians agree in principle, but Russia’s war in Ukraine led to a drop in availability of natural gas. Some lawmakers have argued that a return to coal is a necessary short-term step to fill the energy gap. But against the long-term trend, the IEA said that 2022 saw an upsurge in Europe which Germany was primarily responsible for.
Phasing out coal has been the centrepiece of recent UN climate summits, and is seen as the lowest hanging fruit for any country trying to decarbonise. But progress varies enormously between countries. That’s partly because Germany has more renewables, and less overall energy use after the government launched a successful campaign to encourage energy efficiency.
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