Shaping a Post-Lignite Landscape

The purpose of this policy paper is to review the decision making structures with regards to the allocation of opportunities associated with the deep structural changes happening in the Rhenish Mining Area. The closure of the lignite mines will dramatically change the landscape of the region and create opportunities for new business development, communities and nature. But to date, the decision making structures in the region are intransparent and probably inadequate to broker the future of the region. In this paper, we provide some suggestions on how stakeholders can engage in shaping the future of the region in a more explicit, transparent and inclusive process.