Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz raised climate policy in a SPIEGEL interview on the coalition issue. Two and a half weeks before the decisive meeting of the Climate Cabinet, the plans of the coalition partner within the federal government have now become more concrete. Is that enough for the SPD politician?
The CSU state group in the Bundestag wants to adopt today a climate protection concept, which among other things provides for an increase in the CO2 emissions in traffic and heating. The state group wants to make fossil fuels more expensive through a national trade in CO2 pollution rights, the "Welt" reported. These plans differ from the concept of SPD Minister of the Environment Svenja Schulze, which proposes an increase in energy taxes.
"Trading in emission certificates has already proven itself in the energy and industry sectors," the "world" quoted from the CSU concept. "At national level, we also want to introduce such a system in the areas of transport and buildings that are not yet covered by emissions trading."
The also discussed CO2 tax, which is based on the respective emissions of a mode of transport, and could be displaced by this system. Because the CSU excludes such a tax, in the CDU, only parts of the workers' wing had openly expressed for such a levy.
Environmental protection should be financially worthwhile
At EU level, the energy industry and parts of the industry must already buy certificates for every tonne of CO2 they emit. The number of these certificates is limited to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but there is no maximum price - but the CSU wants a cap on the price of allowances at national level. If all the companies concerned offer the maximum price, the number of allowances - ie the emission rights - should be "generated by national and international afforestation projects".
In addition, the CSU is committed to relief and incentives. Thus, the party calls for a tax incentive for the energetic refurbishment of buildings through an immediate write-off for energy renovation. In the case of inheritance, such investments should be promoted by an exemption from inheritance tax. The commuter tax is to be increased, the VAT on train tickets from 19 to seven percent be lowered.
The CDU leadership, in turn, wants to improve climate protection with a mix of higher pricing, allowances trading and relief in electricity prices, as well as incentive incentives. This emerges from an internal working paper of the party leadership for the debates over a national climate consensus, which is present the news agency dpa. The party today begins a series of events with a workshop meeting to prepare for the Climate Cabinet meeting.
Involved in the Climate Cabinet are, among others, the Ministers of Environment, Economics, Finance, Transport, Construction, Agriculture and the Chancellor. The Climate Cabinet should make decisions so that Germany achieves its climate protection target for 2030 - 55 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than in 1990.
In the paper of the CDU top states: "It must not be that the one who pays, who acts ecologically: Whether the eco-car or when driving by train." The CDU wanted "that environmental protection is also financially worthwhile for those who behave according to this principle: who saves CO2, drives better."
Among other things, the paper calls for an increase in ticket sales in order to reflect the CO2 emissions in air traffic. "The costs and burdens of a flight must also be reflected in the ticket price.That is why we also need measures against dumping prices, it goes on to say." The request from the CSU regional group for a competitive price tax "for low-cost flights was however in the CDU as well as in the CSU has been rejected.