Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) is open for possible amendments to the climate package of the Federal Government from the Federal Council. If any potential improvements were suggested there, she would listen to this "unbiased," Schulze told the newspapers in the Funke Mediengruppe.
On Wednesday, the Cabinet deals with the key issues paper on climate protection, on which the grand coalition had agreed on Friday after a long struggle. Schulze admitted that she herself had been able to imagine even more in the climate package.
At the same time, the minister dampened the hope that Germany would have to reduce climate protection by massive afforestation of forests in other fields such as the transport sector: "We will need both: climate forests that bind CO2 and a climate-friendly transport system," said Schulze.
Hofreiter speaks of "narrow-gauge climate package"
All sectors are in demand so that by 2050 Germany will become climate neutral. Moreover, it is not possible under European law to transfer CO2 certificates from afforestation on a large scale to other areas, the Minister of the Environment has to consider.
There had been much criticism of the package of measures decided by the Federal Government. Critics consider it insufficient in the fight against global warming.
Thus Green Party leader Anton Hofreiter spoke in the "New Osnabrücker Zeitung" of a "narrow-gauge climate package". "So that the climate crisis does not escalate, now finally counter-measures and decided action must be taken." The climate package does not provide an answer to this "human task".
Altmaier warns opposition to blockade
"We urge the Federal Government to present a true climate protection package that meets the challenge," said Hofreiter. "That means: finish with small-Klein, it takes the big hit." These included the expansion of renewable energies including wind power and an effective and social CO2 price with a real ecological steering effect.
Meanwhile warned Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) Green and FDP against a blockade of the climate change package. They would have to "ask themselves what they would achieve with a blockade," said Altmaier the "Passauer Neue Presse". "A blockade of the law, if it is subject to approval, would mean that there is not more, but less climate protection," said the CDU politician.
He is counting on a national climate consensus. "After the nuclear phase-out was regulated by the national consensus and the energy transition, it would be correct to reach an agreement among the state-supporting parties in the German Bundestag on climate protection," Altmaier continued.
