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WORLD NEWS Saturday 4 July 2020

Germany is first major economy to phase out coal and nuclear

By FRANK JORDANS couldn't be operated at
Associated Press profit without government
BERLIN (AP) — German subsidies.
lawmakers have finalized But the head of Germany's
the country's long-awaited main miners' union, Michael
phase-out of coal as an Vassiliadis, welcomed the
energy source, backing a decision, calling it a "his-
plan that environmental toric milestone." He urged
groups say isn't ambitious the government to focus
enough and free marke- next on expanding renew-
teers criticize as a waste of able energy generation
taxpayers' money. and the use of hydrogen,
Bills approved by both which is being touted as a
houses of parliament Friday long-term replacement for
envision shutting down the natural gas.
last coal-fired power plant According to Germany's
by 2038 and spending state-funded Fraunhofer
some 40 billion euros ($45 Institute, some 55.7% of net
billion) to help affected re- electricity generated so
gions cope with the transi- far this year for the public
tion. power supply came from
The plan is part of Germa- renewable sources includ-
ny's 'energy transition' - an In this Aug. 27, 2018 file photo a bucket wheel digs for coal near the Hambach Forest near Dueren, ing wind, solar, biomass
effort to wean Europe's big- Germany. and hydro. Coal account-
gest economy off planet- Associated Press ed for almost 20%, followed
warming fossil fuels and by nuclear and natural gas
generate all of the coun- will burden the next gen- Schulze, the environment power plants, saying they with about 12% each.q
try's considerable energy eration with 18 more years minister, said there would
needs from renewable of carbon dioxide," Green- be regular government re-
sources. Achieving that peace Germany's execu- views to examine whether Japan seeks extradition
goal is made harder than tive director Martin Kaiser the end date for coal can
such as France and Britain Kaiser, who was part of a noted that by the end of of Americans accused
be brought forward. She
in comparable countries told The Associated Press.
isting commitment to also pert commission, accused most polluting coal-fired in Ghosn escape
because of Germany's ex- government-appointed ex- 2022, eight of the country's
phase out nuclear power Chancellor Angela Merkel plants will have already
by the end of 2022. of making a "historic mis- been closed. By YURI KAGEYAMA The completion of the
"The days of coal are num- take," saying an end date Environmentalists have also AP Business Writer extradition request does
bered in Germany," Envi- for coal of 2030 would have criticized the large sums TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo not immediately mean
ronment Minister Svenja sent a strong signal for Eu- being offered to coal com- prosecutors said Friday Michael Taylor, a 59-year-
Schulze said. "Germany is ropean and global climate panies to shut down their they have filed a request old former Green Beret
the first industrialized coun- policy. Merkel has said she plants, a complaint shared for the extradition of two and private security spe-
try that leaves behind both wants Europe to be the first by libertarians such as Ger- Americans arrested in the cialist, and his son Peter
nuclear energy and coal." continent to end its green- many's opposition Free U.S. for allegedly helping Taylor, 27, will be handed
Greenpeace and other house gas emissions, by Democratic Party. Carlos Ghosn, the former over.
environmental groups 2050. Katja Suding, a leading FDP chairman of Nissan, flee Deputy Chief Prosecutor
have staged vocal protests Germany closed its last lawmaker, said the govern- Japan while he was out Takahiro Saito sounded
against the plan, includ- black coal mine in 2018, ment should have opted to on bail. upbeat about the pros-
ing by dropping a ban- but it continues to import expand existing emissions "We express our deepest pects while stressing the
ner down the front of the the fuel and extract its own trading systems that put a gratitude for the coop- decision was up to the
Reichstag building Friday. reserves of lignite, a brown- price on carbon, thereby eration the U.S. authori- United States. The request
They argue that the gov- ish coal that is abundant encouraging operators ties have shown to our had to be filed within 45
ernment's road map won't in the west and east of to shut down unprofitable request," the Tokyo District days of the arrests.
reduce Germany's green- the country. Officials warn coal plants. Prosecutors Office said in Saito said Peter Taylor
house gas emissions fast that the loss of mining jobs "You just have to make it so a statement. came to Japan last year
enough to meet the tar- could hurt those economi- expensive that it's not prof- "We plan to cooperate and met with Ghosn at
gets set out in the Paris cli- cally fragile regions, though itable anymore to turn coal in all ways possible so the the office of his Japanese
mate accord. efforts are already under into electricity," she said. extradition procedures for lawyer six times, including
"Germany, the country that way to turn the vast lignite This week, utility companies the two can be carried the day before Ghosn's
burns the greatest amount mines into nature reserves in Spain shut down seven of out quickly," it said. escape. q
of lignite coal worldwide, and lakeside resorts. the country's 15 coal-fired