Germany closes its last hard coal mine, Prosper-Haniel, in 2018
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Germany closed its last hard coal mine, Prosper-Haniel in Bottrop, on 21 December 2018, after a 2007 decision to end subsidies. Clean Energy Wire reported that more than 90% of the hard coal Germany used was imported.
- Hard coal mine workers — Employment in German hard coal mining fell from 600,000 in the 1950s to 4,500 in 2017 Clean Energy Wire
What happened
The Merkel government decided in 2007 to end hard coal subsidies and close the last mine in 2018 (Clean Energy Wire).
Prosper-Haniel in Bottrop closed on 21 December 2018 (Clean Energy Wire).
Clean Energy Wire described the closure as purely economic and placed the wider coal exit in a climate framework.
Green Budget Germany put state support for the sector at up to 337 billion euro for 1970 to 2016 (Clean Energy Wire).
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: RAG Foundation said a tonne of German coal cost 250 euro to produce and sold for 80 euro.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the Ruhr mining communities and communities near Colombia's Cerrejon mine bore the costs of the decline.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not state the environmental effects of the closure.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Germany bids farewell to domestic hard coal miningClean Energy Wire · 2018
Connected cases
- Germany brings coal exit forward to 2030 as Lützerath is demolished Germany · 2023
- German government (Government) — here: Decided in 2007 to end hard coal subsidies and close the last mine by 2018; there: Brought forward the coal exit and paid compensation to RWE
- RWE drops 1.4 billion euro claim over Dutch coal ban; Hemweg-8 closure announced Netherlands · 2019–2023
- German government (Government) — here: Decided in 2007 to end hard coal subsidies and close the last mine by 2018; there: Rescued Uniper in 2022; lignite exit arrangements with RWE
- RWE sought €1.4bn from the Netherlands over its coal phase-out Netherlands · 2019–2023
- German government (Government) — here: Decided in 2007 to end hard coal subsidies and close the last mine by 2018; there: payer of closure compensation