GERMANY

Germany ranks within the top ten operational coal capacity countries globally, and has substantial domestic coal mining operations, especially of lignite. The country joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance in 2019. In July 2020, the German coal power exit law stipulated a coal exit by 2038 with an option to forward it to 2035. As summarized by Europe Beyond Coal, the country’s plans are incompatible with the Paris Agreement, which requires rapid declines in coal power use by 2030. Following Germany’s September 2021 elections, the SPD, Greens and FDP entered into coalition negotiations and produced a consultation paper which established that a coal phase out by 2030 is an ideal scenario, but without referring to concrete steps. In September 2021, Germany was part of the coalition of national governments that launched the No New Coal Power Compact, which requires supporters to cease permitting of new coal power plants and end new construction of unabated coal plants by the end of 2021.