“Coal commission” should be headed by ministry for economics and energy – Merkel

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the country’s “coal commission” tasked with finding a phase-out compromise should be headed by the ministry for economics and energy. After a cabinet meeting, she also said in addition to economy minister Peter Altmaier (CDU), environment minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), labour minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), and interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) should be part of the commission, reports Matthias Schlegel for the Tagesspiegel. Many Social Democrats had called for the commission to be headed by environment ministry.
In a first reaction, Greenpeace climate expert Karsten Smid said the participation of four ministries was counterproductive to finding a quick solution. WWF climate expert Michael Schäfer said the commission needed a clear mandate to phase out coal as quickly as possible.

Read the article in German here.

For background, read the factsheet When will Germany finally ditch coal? and the portraits Merkel puts long-time confidant in charge of energy transition and New German environment minister faces steep uphill battle on climate.