May RWE roden the hambach forest, at all? Is used the coal under the forest for the energy supply? Fit coal-fired power objectives of the Climate and who is fueling the conflict? The DW has researched the facts.
The coal-fired power plants without deforestation soon still?
No. At the moment the edge of the open cast mine Hambach is located about 300 meters from the forest, usually well over 400 metres. The excavators have moved in the last few years, less than 120 meters a year in the direction of the forest. At a constant flow rate of coal for at least three years-would be enough.
The open pit could be designed according to the experts, so that the forest could be spared six more years and this needs to be at a constant Coal for the power plants.
To expect, however, is required with a lower Carbon. By 2019, three old power plants go into the so-called safety reserve. These power plants are supplied from the Hambach open pit mine and produce only in the extreme emergency of electricity. The demand for brown coal will, therefore, fall also exit without Coal.
The opencast mine Hambach on 30.8.2018: Between the open pit edge and the forest there is still plenty of space.
A current grubbing-up would be in order?
Currently, the upper administrative court of Münster checks whether the forest according to EU directives protect value and, therefore, not cleared. So RWE can not create hasty in facts, wants to obtain the Federation for environment and nature conservation Germany (BUND), with an urgent application for a temporary grubbing-up stop. The court will consider this request at present.
However, even if the court should decide this question in favour of RWE, has to keep the group on the requirements for the operation of the mine. To this edition, that forests are allowed for as long as possible must be protected and only then cleared, if this is required for the operation of the mine is essential.
Legally, the excavator according to this provision, grubbing with a forward speed of well over two years. Up to a distance of 300 meters from the present-day open-pit edge of a clearing would thus be legally allowed if this is necessary for the operation of the mine is essential.
However, the distance between the open pit edge and the edge of a forest is usually well in excess of 300 meters. RWE wants to clear the forest even at a distance of up to 1000 meters.
RWE was able to present to the DW, despite Requests, no evidence that the proposed grubbing-up of this order of magnitude is legitimate and also essential. Specific questions were not answered. It is possible that the courts of this question of law have to deal with.
More on this: If planned deforestation is against the law?
No Chance for the hambach forest?
The hambach forest was no longer anyway to “rescue”, said RWE chief Rolf Martin Schmitz, in an Interview to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, “no matter what is decided by the coal Commission.” A receipt of the forest is technically “not possible”, because the masses would be needed under the forest for the stabilisation of embankments.
According to the DW research, this statement is not true. In the brown coal industry of work of a mining engineer is not insured to the DW is that banks can be stabilized from the inside of the pit, an expansion of the open pit limits and the associated clearing of the forest was necessary.
On this technique, RWE relies on other Places of the hambach open-cast mine, such as satellites show images. The expert also explained that in Hambach, the embankment, close to the forest was already very flat, and their recovery is not particularly expensive.
Fits carbon objectives, power to the Climate?
Climate scientists warn insistently to hurry. Humanity remains only a little time, to limit global warming to below two degrees, preferably 1.5 degrees. The Advisory Council of the German government (SRU) calls for phasing for this reason, a very rapid Coal. The experts calculated exactly how much CO2 Germany may launch in the next few decades, even so the global warming can be limited to two degrees, and what this means for the generation of Electricity from brown and hard coal.
The result: everything Goes on as previously planned, the so-called CO2 Budget would be used for the production of electricity from coal is already the end of 2023 completely. Coal should no longer be used to generate electricity.
In the case of a very swift exit strategy from Coal there is, however, a little more time and the CO2 Budget would be depleted in 2033.
For compliance with the 1.5-degree target, developed in the Fraunhofer energy, scientists have a carbon path for Germany to exit. Therefore, the end date of the coal-fired power would be in 2030 and the hambach forest would be spared.
RWE rejects the recommendation of the SRU to comply with the two-degree target and still want to blow significantly more coal-fired generation omen and CO2 in the atmosphere. RWE has based its strategy on a policy which leads to a global warming of about three degrees.
More: brown coal from the hambach forest is no longer needed
Protest against RWE: projection of Greenpeace at the coal-fired power plant down Champs in the vicinity of the hambach forest.
Who is pushing for the escalation in the forest?
RWE is sticking to his grubbing-up plans and is supported by the state government of NRW is actively. Tree houses to be demolished with the help of the police and the climate activists imprisoned.
The Journalist Steffen Meyn was documenting the police actions of a tree house. In a Situation he had not secured his work, plunged in the deep and lost his life.
The climate activists care deeply about the future of the planet, calling for a consistent climate protection and, therefore, the stop of electricity from brown coal. From a broad climate movement, you will be supported in the commitment. RWE against these objectives.
Demonstration on the edge of a forest. Citizens want to be planting small trees. The police denied access to the forest.
The Situation in and around the forest is usually peaceful. Nevertheless, there is also violence and escalation. Some cops show up guns and spraying pepper spray into the faces of demonstrators and forest occupants. Other police officers, on the other hand peaceful and also sympathy for the climate movement. On the other hand, were pelted with a clearance of tree-houses, policemen with feces from the height.
According to the police, there was also a night of attacks on police with sling shots and stones. The arrest of these attackers, there was not, however. It is not known who is responsible. It is militant climate could be activists or to discredit also provocateurs, who are trying the movement of the forest squatters as violent. Both are so far speculative.
Attacks, but also against the protest movement. For example, two vehicles of the environmentalists were set on fire. Police and prosecutors are due to arson.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestDeep Concern
The Journalist Steffen Meyn came in the hambach forest, their lives at work. “After the press has been restricted in the last days often in your work, I am now in 25 meters height, to document the work of Demining”, tweeted on the day before his death. The next day, Heyn (27) crashes of a bridge between the tree houses. A Board gave way, he wanted to protect.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestClearance in riskier height
13. September began the clearing of the forest by the police. Environmentalists had built in the last six years, about 60 tree houses and against the clearing of the old forest fought back. The energy group RWE wants to further promote brown coal and is supported by the NRW state government. It has justified the eviction with the lack of fire safety rules in the tree houses.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestA life for the end of brown coal
The climate activists are young. Clumsy is one of them and lived for five years in the hambach forest. A few days ago this tree was destroyed house by the police. Clumsy calls for responsibility for future generations, and sees itself in the Tradition of other human rights movements. His non-violent resistance has also been documented from the accident to journalists.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestNo clearing of the stop, in spite of all Appeals
The eviction of activists from the tree houses is risky, time-consuming and takes hours. The inhabitants of chains, special climbers in the police try to break up the height of the resistance – for all Involved in a very dangerous Situation. However, despite all the warnings of the dangers of NRW holding of the regional government and the energy company RWE in the clearing.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestAbsurd?
The police officers do their Job, the tree houses, the forest dwellers. Also, many police officers hold the costly and dangerous use of unnecessary, since a coal Commission was appointed on behalf of the Federal government. This is to submit by December a Plan for the Coal phase-out. Therefore, it is possible that the lignite will continue to be funded under the forest never.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestThe resistance is growing
Approximately 100 to 200 young people currently living in the hambach forest or in the adjacent Camp. Small villages with tree houses have emerged in the past few years. So far, 39 houses were destroyed, according to police. The inhabitants are arrested and will face charges. In the case of the Sunday forest guides many people get a picture of the current Situation.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestMass protest against RWE
The first tree houses were on Thursday (13.9.) destroyed, three days later, the Sunday walk is to mass protest. More than 6000 citizens show solidarity with the forest dwellers. You are asking for a Pause of RWE and NRW state government, an escalation of the conflict had to be avoided. To the coal Commission to submit in December its Plan, no clearing should be carried out.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestCoal or future
For the protesters, the conflict is clear: RWE wants to be for profit reasons, as long as more brown coal-fired generation omen, in spite of climate change will be relentless and will Laschet from the NRW state government, under Prime Minister (CDU). Also, families are among the protesters and promote a climate-friendly future.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestRWE is playing with the wrong Numbers?
The Removal of the edges at the open pit mine of Hambach. RWE claimed that the clearing in this old forest is now in October is essential, because, otherwise, already in the short term, the supply of the power plants with lignite is at risk. According to the DW research, the assertion is not true, however, and without deforestation there is still enough coal for at least three years.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestUnclear legal Situation
Brown coal expert Dirk Jansen (FEDERAL) declared members of the coal Commission, the situation on the ground. According to the environmental Association, the clearing in violation of applicable law. Also the competent Supervisory authorities in NRW have failed. New lawsuits have been filed. You may decide in the next few weeks, therefore, the justice, whether the forest may still be cleared.