Energiewende. In German, it means the energy transition and reflects the country's push to generate 80 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2050. Germany feels like a green place. In the countryside, giant wind turbines share the space with idyllic farms; solar panels are easy to find on the rooftops of even the most historic villages. Yet ironically, as Germany embarks on its “green” energy transformation, it has also seen a sudden revival of coal. Atterwasch is one of three villages in East-German Lausitz-region that could soon be razed in order to accommodate the planned expansion of a giant coal mine. Demand for brown coal - or lignite - has been growing steadily, in part due to chancellor Angela Merkel's decision, in 2011, to phase out the use of nuclear power within a decade. The residents of Atterwasch, as you might imagine, are less than thrilled about the whole situation. Here's my story on their fight to keep their homes and way of life.
CNN Correspondent & DJ