Phasing-Out Coal in Germany and Appalachia

Lessons Learned from Similar Experiences?

East Germany and West Virginia are currently undergoing a transformation from a local economy that is dependent on the extraction of fossil resources, in particular different forms of coal, to an economic structure that cannot depend on the income from this natural resource any longer. What are the experiences of the affected communities? How are the local grievances dealt with and social needs addressed? And, can we identify best practices and learn from these different but shared experiences? This seminar will present initial findings from three months of field work in the United States and offer insights into the key similarities and crucial differences, successful models of regional development, as well as recommendations to manage structural change successfully via a just transition.

Join DAAD/AGI Research Fellow Thomas Fröhlich as he presents a comparative study of the coal phase-out in West Virginia and the Lusatia region in Eastern Germany.

Dr. Thomas Fröhlich is a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from September to November, 2021. Dr. Fröhlich currently holds a prestigious ESRC postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. His research examines the intersection between climate change mitigation, the global deployment of low-carbon energy, geopolitics, and international relations theory. His PhD analyzed Brazil’s international ethanol strategy and its attempts to create a global market for biofuels. The related book will be published during his tenure at AGI.

This event is supported by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office.