Gabriel defends not naming an end date for coal

Federal economy minister Sigmar Gabriel does not support setting an end date for coal-fired power generation in Germany, he said in the plenary of the German Bundestag, reaffirming his position that had held up the government’s Climate Action Plan 2050. “Yes, I did not name a coal-exit date on purpose. […] You know why? Because I think it decent to provide those affected with realistic outlook for them and their children first,” said Gabriel. He said that the importance of coal in the German power mix would decrease, but that the country needed to ensure that industrial jobs were kept. Gabriel praised Germany’s Climate Action Plan as the world’s most detailed. “In terms of climate protection, our wording is not as spineless as that of the rest of the world.”

Read the Bundestag protocol in German here (p. 20273).

Also read the CLEW article Businesses should make proposals to reach climate goals- govt official and the CLEW factsheet Germany’s Climate Action Plan 2050.