Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Syrian sources: The Israeli occupation has begun withdrawing from the areas it infiltrated last night in the Quneitra countryside.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Massive bombings in eastern Gaza, the second within half an hour, and its sound was heard from central area.
Russian air defense units destroyed a drone that was heading toward Moscow.
Maduro: Tomorrow, a business meeting will be held bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs from advanced Russian industries with hundreds of Venezuelan businesspeople.
Maduro: In the face of threats, Trinidad and Tobago agreed to suspend all effects of the energy agreement and everything that had been agreed upon in that regard.
Maduro: It’s time to make a choice, either stand with the warmongers who want death and violence, or stand with life.
Maduro: They want our wealth. This is not about drug trafficking, and they know it.
Maduro: Everyone in the world knows that what the economic elite ruling the United States seeks today is Venezuela’s oil, gas, and gold.
Maduro: The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is complicit and promoting war due to her personal, physical, mental, and moral weaknesses.
President Nicolás Maduro: A series of arrests have been carried out against what could be a group of mercenaries trained and funded by the CIA.

'Green'-oriented Germany to demolish village for coal mine

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 15 Apr 2022 09:43
  • 3 Shares
2 Min Read

A village in western Germany will be bulldozed to make way for a coal mine.

  • x
  • A small earth wall separates the tiny village of Lutzerath from the enormous diggers operating in the lignite coal mines
    A small earth wall separates the tiny village of Lutzerath from the enormous diggers operating in the lignite coal mines.

A village in western Germany will be demolished to make way for a coal mine, despite Berlin accelerating its plans to go green.

The impending bulldozing of the pastoral village of Lutzerath is currently raising questions about a German law that is said to be outdated and that prioritizes extractive industries over green policies. These practices highlight the challenges a country dependent on coal will face as it attempts to pivot away from fossil fuels.

Wiebke Witt, a German campaigner with civil society organization Europe Beyond Coal, said the anachronistic German law says that lignite mines that supply coal power plants serve the public interest.

“This definitely needs to change, because we are seeing that it’s not in the public interest to burn coal. It’s the opposite. It’s the worst energy resource that we have in Germany for the climate in terms of carbon emissions,” she added.

Related News

Coal mine explosion in Iran, at least 30 killed

Polish coal miners protest EU's anti-methane regulations in Warsaw

Transitioning 

The village of Lutzerath, which sits at the edge of an open-pit coal mine, isn't the only village in the area that's been threatened by the increase in mining, as homes, highways, and historical landmarks have been demolished in the interest of lignite-mining facilities.

Lignite is a type of wet coal used mostly to generate electricity and is the only coal Germany still produces. Hard coal was phased out from Germany in 2018 and is now imported from countries like Russia, which accounted for half of Germany's imports until the war in Ukraine.

Germany made the decision at the end of 2021 to shut down three of its nuclear power plants, as part of a plan to phase out nuclear energy. The move reduced the country's power output by four gigatons. Germany intends to phase out nuclear energy entirely by the end of 2022 and plans to increase renewable energy production. 

However, until renewables are ramped up, Berlin will rely on fossil fuels to fill the void left by the nuclear exit. 

Last week, Germany's Cabinet approved a draft legislation that would accelerate the expansion of renewable energy. According to the bill, renewable energy should generate 80% of the country's energy needs by 2030.

  • Germany
  • Coal
  • coal mine
  • mining

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Delta Air Lines flight lands at Harry Reid International Airport, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Las Vegas (AP)
Politics

Nearly 3,800 US flights disrupted amid ongoing government shutdown

FILE - The Amazon logo is pictured at the Amazon Robotic Sorting Fulfillment Center in Madison County, Miss., Aug. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Economy

Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs in largest layoff in company history

Eurofighter Typhoon Spain's Air Force fighter jets fly above the military parade marking 'Día de la Hispanidad', or Hispanic Day, in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP)
Politics

UK sells 20 Eurofighter jets to Türkiye in £8bn defense agreement

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

RSF tightens El Fasher siege as Sudan risks fragmentation: Reuters

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS