Opencast mining at Garzweiler has long been distinguished by climate activists themselves. Now they wanted to prevent another expansion of the mine.

Dozens of activists occupied an open mining area in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Friday. Between the mine and the nearby, partly uninhabited village of Lützerath, which was intended for evacuation and demolition, tents were erected around trees intended for felling, many of them chained to excavators and other heavy machinery.

Thus, an attempt was made to prevent the expansion of the Garzweiler lignite mine. They argue that if the German government takes seriously the commitments made in the Paris climate agreement and wants to keep the rate of climate change below 1.5 degrees Celsius, it will not be able to expand the mine.

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One of the world’s largest outdoor lignite mines and associated coal-fired power plant is operated by German energy watch maker RWE. Recently, protests against the facility are increasingly being organized by German environmental groups who want to remove coal from power generation as soon as possible. Friday’s protest was organized by a local group in Alle Dörfer Blei (almost all villages remained) who by name refer to the villages doomed to be destroyed in the coal mine road.

The police took eight people from the mining machines. The Deutsche Welle said they were peaceful protesters.

According to the current plans of the German government, coal-based energy production will be discontinued in 2038. However, with the recent abandonment of nuclear power, which will be phased out by the end of next year, they have been forced to work on coal-fired power plants.



It is now certain: from 2038, there will be no coal-fired power plants in Germany


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