Scientific Support for the Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment

From June 2018 to the end of January 2019, the Commission on "Growth, Structural Change and Employment" met as an independent body comprised of covering a broad cross-section of social, political and economic actors. As per its mandate from the German Federal Government adopted on 6 June 2018, the Commission was requested to develop a plan for ending coal-fired power generation in Germany, which would both contribute to meeting the Federal Government's climate policy goals, but also deliver recommendations on manging structural change in the coal regions and create new, future-proof jobs.

The Commission's work took place over the course of 13 plenary sessions and several regular meetings of working groups on energy and climate policy and on structural development. This preparatory work resulted in the Commission's final report, in which the Commission formulated its recommendations to the Federal Government and which was adopted at the last meeting of the Commission with the votes of 27 of the 28 Commission members.

Benjamin Görlach supported the work of Professor Barbara Praetorius, President of the Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment, by providing scientific input and research. He contributed scientific expertise on climate and energy policy issues and on structural development. This included the elaboration of proposals for solutions on how climate goals, security of supply and affordability can be achieved together. This also included approaches for an active structural development policy in the lignite regions and for accompanying measures to manage social implications of the coal phase-out, both in terms of safeguarding current employees and creating new jobs and economic perspectives in the regions. In carrying out his work, Benjamin Görlach was closely linked to the secretatiat of the Commission, which was established at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy.