How Russia-Ukraine war has forced Germany to turn to the dirtiest form of coal

The war in Ukraine has pushed Germany to a corner. As the European giant looks to replace Russian gas, it has been forced to turn to alternative energy like coal. However, this decision comes with a backlash of its own. A tiny village in western Germany, set to be destroyed for the expansion of a coal mine, has turned into a battleground between the government and climate activists.

Lutzerath has been evicted amid plans to expand the Garzweiler coal mine over the village. On Tuesday, climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was briefly detained by police at the protest. However, she has not been arrested.

Videos posted on Twitter by Thunberg show police in riot gear going after hundreds of protesters. So what’s happening in Lutzerath?

What’s happening in Lutzerath?

More than 1,000 police personnel have descended on Lutzerath since 11 January. They are reportedly forcing people to evacuate houses and are demolishing structures to clear the village. They are making way for excavating machines to access the coal beneath the ground.

According to a report by CNN, some have been staying in the village for more than two years. They occupied homes abandoned by former residents who were also evicted in 2017 for the mines.

Since last week, thousands of people from across the country have been protesting near Lutzerath. While organisers say that more than 35,000 people took part in the demonstration, the police put the figure at 1,500.

Thunberg joined the stir on Saturday; the other groups which have been raising their voice for Lutzerath include Extinction Rebellion, Last Generation and Scientist Rebellion.

Police dressed in riot gear have been cracking down on protesters and detaining them.

On Sunday, the protests turned violent with clashes being reported between the demonstrators and the officials. Water cannons were used to quell the demonstration. According to organisers, dozens of activists had been injured, some due to water cannons and some due to bites from police dogs.

However, the protests continue. On Tuesday, they said that those who have been detained will not be charged.

Policemen use batons to prevent environmentalists to advance towards Luetzerath during a demonstration in Keyenberg, western Germany, as protests continue against a coal mine extension in the nearby village of Luetzerath. AFP

Also read: How EU plans to reduce gas use by 15% amid threat of Russia cutting off supply

What are the climate concerns?

Environmentalists believe that the expansion of the mine would lead to huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and undermines Germany’s efforts to phase out coal.

Lignite is the dirtiest form of coal and the area around Lutzerath yields 25 million tonnes of it each year, according to a report by the BBC. The village, which is now owned by the energy company RWE, is expected to be the final one demolished for the lignite mine.

“If RWE gets access to the coal under Lutzerath (and burns it), there is barely any chance for Germany to stay in line with its CO2 budget that was agreed to with the Paris Agreement. At the same time, this very coal is not needed for our energy supply. That’s what studies say,” climate activist Luisa Neubauer wrote in a Twitter thread.

According to the energy firm, the coal under the village is needed as early as this winter.

Police officers in climbing gear are lifted with a crane to remove climate activists sitting on trees to protest against the demolition of the village in Luetzerath. AP

Why has Germany turned to the dirtiest form of coal?

The German government has said it needs coal to ensure the country’s energy security, which has already been “squeezed by the cut in supply of Russian gas due to the war in Ukraine”. To keep up with the demand, the expansion of the Garzweiler mine, one of the largest in Europe, is necessary, it says.

The plan to continue mining in Lutzerath comes even as authorities had pledged to bring forward the phase-out of coal in North Rhine-Westphalia, the state in which the mine lies, to 2030. The national target is 2038.

But now Germany, which was heavily dependent on Russian gas (55 per cent of what was consumed) before the Ukraine war, is racing to find replacements. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s governing coalition is increasing investment in fossil fuels.

In July 2022, Germany’s two houses of parliament passed emergency legislation to reactivate mothballed coal-fired power plants to support electricity generation. The decision was described as “painful but necessary” by Robert Habeck, the government’s environmentalist economics minister.

By the end of September, at least 20 coal plants were resurrected or extended past their closing date to ensure the country has enough energy supply for the winter, according to a report by NPR.

More than a third (36.3 per cent) of the electricity fed into the German power grids between July and September 2022 came from coal-fired power plants, compared with 31.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2021, a TRT World report says quoting German statistics office Destatis.

Protests against the expansion of a coal mine in the village have been ongoing for days. Environmentalists believe this could lead to lead to huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. AP

Coal has been demonised by the Green party, which leads some of the country’s top ministries. But the war in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia have forced Germany to turn to coal.

But Germany is not alone. Several other European nations are facing a similar energy crisis.

Also read: Explained: How warm weather is saving Europe from energy crisis sparked by Ukraine war

Is Europe using more coal than before?

Like Germany, several countries in Europe have announced plans to reopen coal plants and increase the production of coal.

International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its annual report published last December, “Global coal use is set to rise by 1.2 per cent in 2022, surpassing 8 billion tonnes in a single year for the first time and eclipsing the previous record set in 2013.”

“Europe, which has been heavily impacted by Russia’s sharp reductions of natural gas flows, is on course to increase its coal consumption for the second year in a row,” it said.

The IEA has pointed out that the reversal of coal has been the most significant in Germany. “This has increased coal power generation in the European Union, which is expected to remain at these higher levels for some time,” it said in a 2022 report.

Police officers have encircled a group of activists and coal opponents with climate activist Greta Thunberg on the edge of the Garzweiler II opencast lignite mine. After the eviction of Luetzerath ended on Sunday, coal opponents continued their protests at several locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. AP

What does this mean for the environment?

While the rise in the use of fossil fuels is short-term, its impact on the environment is catastrophic.

The IEA warns that “investment into new fossil fuels infrastructure must stop immediately if the world wants any chance of achieving net zero by 2050.”

With inputs from agencies

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