DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - The new guiding decision of the North Rhine-Westphalian state government on lignite mining until the early coal phase-out in 2030 is ready. On Friday, a briefing of the state parliament is planned by the state government. The cabinet already approved the new 2023 guiding decision on Tuesday, according to the submission to the state parliament published on Wednesday.

The two economics ministries led by Green politicians in the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had agreed in the fall of 2022 with the energy company RWE on an early phase-out of lignite. In 2030, the extraction of coal for power generation is to come to an end.

Five villages belonging to the town of Erkelenz at the Garzweiler open pit mine were thus saved from being mined out because the amount of coal still to be extracted will be reduced compared to the previous lead decision. However, the village of Lützerath, occupied by climate activists, had to make way. The settlement had been evacuated in a large police operation at the beginning of January.

The new guiding decision now contains principles for spatial development and the decided reduction of the Garzweiler open pit mine, but also specifications for future development. This also concerns the future of the five villages at the Garzweiler open pit mine, which will now be preserved. Most of the residents have already moved away./dot/DP/nas