German coal mine clash pits laws against climate

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

ERKELENZ, Germany (AP) — The fate of a tiny village has sparked heated debate in Germany over the country’s continued use of coal and whether tackling climate change justifies breaking the law. Environmental activists have been locked in a standoff with police who started eviction operations on Wednesday around the hamlet of Luetzerath, west of Cologne, that’s due to be bulldozed for the expansion of a nearby lignite mine. Activists say doing so would prevent Germany meeting its climate goals and international commitments. Officials counter that the courts have ruled the activists must leave. They argue that ignoring the law undermines democracy and continued efforts to prevent the village being razed could harm the climate cause.