Germany’s energy sector climate target will almost halve total of jobs connected to lignite industry by 2025 – study

The greenhouse gas reduction target set for the energy sector in Germany’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and the resulting accelerated coal exit will cut the total workforce connected to the lignite industry almost in half by 2025, according to a study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW), commissioned by the Federal German Association for Brown Coal (DEBRIV). This would not happen until after 2035, had the government not introduced the sector target, says the study. It also finds that Germany’s lignite mining regions lack alternatives for the lignite industry. “The existing structures will not be able to make a contribution within the next 10 years, either in terms of employment or value added, that can replace the current contributions of the lignite industry,” IW writes.

Read a summary in German here and the full study in German here.

For background, read the CLEW factsheet Germany’s Climate Action Plan 2050, and the factsheet Germany’s three lignite mining regions.