The Berlin Senate has declared the "climate emergency" for the capital. The corresponding decision for additional efforts in favor of climate protection fell after the topic had been postponed the week before due to outstanding issues.
"We have stated that we want to go beyond our previous goals to reduce CO2 emissions by 85 percent, compared to 1990," said Berlin Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) following the Senate meeting. "We want to achieve significantly more than this 85 percent."
However, there is no concrete percentage in the Senate resolution. Environment Senator Regine Günther (Greens), who provided the template, wanted to tighten the value to at least 95 percent "even before 2050", but could not prevail in the red-red-green coalition government.
With its decision, Berlin follows numerous municipalities worldwide, including around 50 in Germany, who have already declared a "climate emergency" (which the individual municipalities make of it, read here). However, the Senate rejects the term, as this is linked to the emergency legislation in the Weimar Republic and the deprivation of democratic rights, said Müller.
You want to answer the Sunday question for the covenant? Vote here:
