Coal Reader

Despite its ambitious long-term climate target, Germany still heavily relays on the use of coal for electricity generation. Consequently, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector is one of the key elements of Germany's climate strategy ("Klimaschutzplan 2050", which was enacted in 2016). Furthermore, a heated debate emerged in Germany on whether a faster phase-out of coal use would be an appropriate means to support the country's short term climate targets.

Against this background the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) has contracted a consortium of the German Institute for Economic Research, Ecologic Institute and the Wuppertal Institute to develop a reader on coal use and phase-out in Germany. The reader will address relevant climate and energy policy questions as well as economic impacts related to coal phase-out options. It will provide expert knowledge on the subject for policy and decision makers who have to deal with questions related to a coal phase-out in Germany.