{"id":49395,"date":"2019-10-16T21:45:50","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T20:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/?p=49395"},"modified":"2019-10-16T21:45:50","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T20:45:50","slug":"germany-is-closing-84-coal-plants-to-save-the-planet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/index.php\/germany-is-closing-84-coal-plants-to-save-the-planet\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany Is Closing 84 Coal Plants to Save the Planet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Germany will close all 84 of its coal power plants. The nation \u2014 one of the world\u2019s largest consumers of coal \u2014 will rely on renewable energy instead. The announcement came earlier this year as Germany revealed its struggle to meet its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions targets. Coal accounted for 40 percent of Germany\u2019s electricity at the start of the year, per the Los Angeles Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an historic accomplishment,\u201d Ronald Pofalla, chairman of the 28-member government commission, said at a news conference in Berlin last January. \u201cIt was anything but a sure thing. But we did it. There won\u2019t be anymore coal-burning plants in Germany by 2038.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coal is the EU\u2019s biggest economy. Germany accounts for the lion\u2019s share, responsible for around one-third of electricity-related CO2 emissions, according to Carbon Brief. It generates roughly half of the EU\u2019s electricity from brown coal (lignite), which emits higher levels of CO2.<\/p>\n

In the U.S., critics have called out President Trump for his promises to revive the failing industry. Some are taking action \u2014 last December, more than 1,000 global institutions pledged to divest from gas, coal, and oil, effectively removing nearly $8 trillion in support.<\/p>\n