Structural Change – Tackle it together!

Conference on coal phase-out and the social and ecological challenges

 

Structural Change – Tackle it together!

Conference on coal phase-out and the social and ecological challenges

 

*Public conference*

Languages: Polish, English, German

 

 

 

Date: Saturday, 1 December 2018

 

 

 

Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

 

 

Venue: Gleis 1 – KulTourPunkt, Bahnhofstraße 76, 02826 Goerlitz, Saxony, Germany (near the Polish-German border)

 

 

 

Languages: German, Polish, English

 

 

 

Right before the 24th international conference on climate change (COP24) in Katowice, Poland, we would like to discuss how the structural change in the coal regions of the EU can be tackled and which impact the global pledges to reduce CO2 emissions and the phase-out of coal will have. Which alternative perspectives do exist for the citizens living in regions dominated by the coal sector? How can we achieve a just and ecological structural change for Lusatia and other coal regions? How can we develop a concept for structural change taking into account the different points of view and interests? Where do we find inspiring examples of successful projects? How is local and European politics required to ensure a fast ecological transition and socially just solutions? What kind of left ideas do we have to offer good prospects to the people while avoiding ecological setbacks?

 

During the conference we will exchange views with local politicians, trade unionists and climate justice activists coming from Saxony, Brandenburg and Poland.

 

You are kindly invited to attend our conference and contribute to our discussion.

 

 

 

Programme:

 

 

 

11.00 Welcome by Facilitator Mirko Schultze (DIE LINKE, Goerlitz) and Janna Aljets (RLS Brussels)

 

 

 

Introduction by Cornelia Ernst, Member of European parliament, Left Group GUE/NGL

 

 

 

 

 

11.30 Panel 1 Proposals from realm of politics

 

Caren Lay, Member of DIE LINKE. in the Bundestag (German national parliament), Germany

 

Thomas Domres, DIE LINKE., Regional parliament Brandenburg, Germany

 

Kathrin Kagelmann, DIE LINKE., Regional parliament, Saxony, Germany

 

Janusz Piechocki, Mayor Margonin, Poland

 

 

 

13.00 Lunch break (Lunch will be provided at the venue)

 

 

 

14.00 Panel 2 Local initiatives against coal

 

Adrian Rinnert, Citizen Initiative, Strukturwandel jetzt!, Saxony, Germany

 

Monika Sadkowska, Climate Activist, Poland

 

Isabell Braunger, Researcher TU Berlin, Research Group on CoalExit

 

 

 

15.00 Coffee break

 

 

 

15.30 Panel 3 Controversies and challenges of structural change (as fishbowl)

 

Filip Chudy, RAZEM, Poland

 

Ruth Krohn, Climate Justice Activist

 

Oliver Heinrich, trade union IG BCE, Germany

 

 

 

16.30 Final discussion

 

 

 

Contact persons:

 

Manuela Kropp, Office MEP Cornelia Ernst, GUE/NGL: manuela.kropp@ep.europa.eu

 

Janna Aljets, RLS Brussels: janna.aljets@rosalux.org

 

 

 

 

 

Please register at: manuela.kropp@ep.europa.eu

 

 

 

 

 

We are looking forward to welcoming you at our conference!

 

 

 

Please feel free to forward this invitation to your peers and colleagues.

 

 

 

This conference is organised by the Left group in the European parliament GUE/NGL, the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels in cooperation with the RLS Saxony and the office of Mirko Schultze.

 

Structural Change - Tackle it together! - public conferencePDF-Datei