<
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210419-the-end-of-the-worlds-capital-of-brown-coal>
"Germany is the world's biggest producer of lignite, and the industry has
shaped both the landscape and the lives of communities here for generations. As
well as the destruction and reconstruction of villages, forests and farmland,
the mines have provided a steady supply of skilled, blue collar jobs for
thousands of people. They have also been the site of huge protests, with
activists fighting to save parts of the neighbouring Hambach forest – 90% of
which was swallowed by the mine. Tensions between environmentalists, police and
RWE employees have been a familiar backdrop to everyday life over the past 15
years. Old Manheim was even occupied by activists at one point, and their
"Hambi stays" graffiti can still be seen on the walls of some houses.
But all of this is about to change. Last year, Germany announced that it plans
to phase out the use of coal entirely by 2038. Lignite is the most polluting of
all coal types, as its lower density means larger amounts need to be burned to
produce a unit of power, and it is responsible for 20% of the country's carbon
emissions. The region has received €15bn (£12.9bn/$17.8bn) from the federal
government to make this exit process a success. The mines will eventually be
filled in, and some parts of land once earmarked for destruction will now stay,
including the last remaining patch of Hambach forest. Now, the community faces
a new challenge – how to create a new future for the region after coal."
This all requires a lot of consultation and hard work, but it urgently needs to
be done everywhere that coal is mined, including Australia.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
