Headline: Die „Kohlekommission“ aus zivilgesellschaftlicher Perspektive. Chancen und Herausforderungen bei der Partizipation in Expertengremien

The commission of experts set up by the German government in June 2018 to deal with the coal phase-out and the associated structural change attracted enormous public interest. Despite its complex mandate and broad composition, the advisory body, which also included environmental associations and citizens’ initiatives from the lignite mining regions, succeeded in reaching a compromise, which is, however, also controversial in the climate movement. Based on the experiences of the Coal Commission, this article shows the challenges and opportunities that civil society actors face when participating in such governmental bodies and under what conditions the participatory potential can be realised. It presents recommendations for future expert commissions to improve the framework conditions for civil society participation.