The first meeting today of Germany’s coal exit commission – tasked with devising a plan by year-end for the phase-out of coal and lignite-based generation – may sound like one big yawn. But think again.
The issue is of vital importance to what path Europe’s largest economy will take to end polluting fossil generation.
How fast Germany proceeds with its coal exit will be observed very carefully by neighbouring heavy polluters in Eastern Europe, such as Poland or the Czech Republic, as well as far-away nations such as India.
