Environment Minister of Germany, Svenja Schulze, in the wake of the global student climate strike, has said on September 22 that Germany would move further in its efforts to phase out coal usage. Berlin is focused to shut down all its coal-powered plants by 2038. Schulze said Germany would join the Powering Past Coal Alliance on Sunday. The minister made the announcement to a German media group ahead of Monday's UN climate summit. This move has been taken by the authorities in the wake of large demonstrations across the world on Friday which is led by teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and her movement to save nature for future.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her governing coalition came up with a new proposal to tackle climate change on the day of the demonstrations. Merkel aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 with an expected worth of more than $59 billion. Schulze said that the country was officially committed to ending its dependency on coal. She also said that the coal exit is a central pillar of global climate protection. She said to the local newspapers that with this Germany can also join the alliance of coal exit countries.

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About the Alliance 

The Powering Past Coal Alliance was established in 2017 and comprises of 30 national governments. Their main motto is to stop the new construction of coal plants, end international funding for coal and step by step process towards meeting its energy needs completely with renewable sources. She said it will send a strong signal to all over the world. Germany looks ahead to shut down all its coal-powered plants by 2038. The environmental group and some scientists criticized the government for taking up this approach whose impact they believe will be limited. On the other hand, the government defended the approach which was agreed by Cabinet ministers and said it's an effective measure taken by the government to ensure a carbon-free economy.

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