13 May 2016; Proschim, Lusatia, Germany. More than 2000 activists from all
over Europe have shut down the opencast coal mine *Welzow-Süd* in the
Lusatia coal fields. They demand an end to coal now. Many have entered the
mine, others are blocking coal trains and conveyor belts transporting coal
to the power plants.

“Every new tonne of coal that is dug up is one too many. We are hitting the
emergency brakes today,” says Hannah Eichberger of the anti-coal network *Ende
Gelände* (‘here and no further’). “We won’t leave climate action to
governments and corporations any longer. We are taking matters into our own
hands now.”

To keep global warming below 2C, at least 80 percent of global fossil fuel
reserves need to stay in the ground. Yet, the federal state governments of
Brandenburg, Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia plan to continue lignite
mining until mid-century.

The activists have vowed that the action will continue over the weekend.
Ende Gelände is part of the global wave of action „Break Free from Fossil
Fuels“ from 3-16 May 2016. Thousands of people in twelve countries across
six continents put up resistance against fossil fuels.