Europe: Written question – Germany’s push for coal-fired power stations: failure of a European Green Deal paid for by citizens – E-000165/2023

Source: European Parliament

Question for written answer E-000165/2023

to the Commission

Rule 138

Alessandro Panza (ID)

The German Government has given the go-ahead for the expansion of the Garzweiler open-cast coal mine, which already has a surface area of 48 km² and is mainly used to extract lignite, one of the most polluting hard coals.

By 2021, 30% of electrical energy produced in Germany already came from coal-fired power stations; this decision therefore means increasing the use of this fossil fuel for electrical energy production.

In 2022, Germany again failed to meet the targets set in 2020 for reducing greenhouse gases, and current policies will only exacerbate the situation.

The Commission is demanding that European citizens make huge economic sacrifices in the name of a green transition that is being pushed ahead much faster than in the rest of the industrialised world, while refusing to take account of the new and obvious critical issues raised by the war in Ukraine.

In the light of policy decisions such as those taken by Germany, it appears that the Commission thinks that European citizens alone should bear the burden of the ‘zero emissions’ target, as will also be the case under the upcoming Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

In view of the above:

• 1.How does the Commission rate Germany’s coal-based energy production plan, and how can it justify the plan given the objectives of the European Green Deal?
• 2.Does the Commission not think the plan shows that the Green Deal has now been overtaken by events?

Submitted: 19.1.2023

Last updated: 24 January 2023

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