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Union and SPD fight for climate protection package: High Noon for GroKo

2019-09-16T17:37:31.816Z


Union and SPD praise their proposals for climate protection. But for complacency it is too early, the true power act is yet to come.



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Armin Laschet is in a great mood on this Monday afternoon. Again and again, the deputy CDU chairman opens the notebook under his arm, in which the just adopted by the party committees 34-page paper on climate protection infected. As if the paper answers every question you ask. "There is a lot of good in it," says North Rhine-Westphalia's prime minister in the foyer of the CDU headquarters. Finally, one is able to speak on this topic, which has been neglected for so long.

Only one step has been made, albeit an important one. Who would have thought a few months ago that the CDU and CSU could agree on such a thing: A price on CO2, as it now wants to achieve via emissions trading, was long unthinkable for many in the Union. Surcharges on airline tickets, cheaper train tickets, the extension of the truck toll - such proposals were in the past at most from the Greens.

At the beginning of this week, you also have to imagine Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as a well-tuned CDU leader: she wanted to close a gap in her party, which became visible at the latest after the successes of the Greens in the European elections in early May. At least on paper, she is in step with CSU boss Markus Söder now succeeded.

But the next strength act is ahead of the Union in the coming days: Until Friday, one must agree with the coalition partner SPD on joint measures to better protect the climate in Germany. Then the cabinet wants to say goodbye to a package that should become a bundle of laws by the end of the year.

The good news: The coalition partner also thinks he is on the right track. "We have already come a long way," says Environment Minister Svenja Schulze of the SPD, "much further than was foreseen a few weeks ago." The bad news: Until Friday, it would be necessary to work "very seriously" on the climate package.

For the moment, however, the coalition parties are already celebrating a bit, while the opposition complains: CDU parliamentary vice Andreas Jung, who has worked together with his CSU colleague Georg Nüßlein, the core of the Union concept, speaks of the "reforestation of the CDU" That is why this is an "important day" for Secretary General Paul Ziemiak. The Social Democrat Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz announces the "perhaps biggest climate protection package in the history of our country".

The fear of the citizens is handled in the Union

Only: Two concepts do not compromise. This is mainly due to the fact that CDU and CSU have all the desired greening an almost panic fear of raising the citizens against it, if the climate protection limits them too much in daily life or financially burdened.

Climate protection, economy and social balance in one fell swoop is the goal. Some in the SPD, on the other hand, can not be radical enough with their own proposals, although prominent social democrats warn of the revenge of the citizens and give consideration to the economy.

Especially three conflicts appear difficult to resolve:

In the case of carbon pricing , the Union has ruled out a tax regime, advocating trade in pollution allowances at national level and extending what has been practiced at European level so far. The SPD, on the other hand, relies on a CO2 tax. (Read more about the different models here.)

However, the Social Democrats have heard that in the end, perhaps they will not insist. One does not want a dispute over instruments, it is said from SPD circles. Finally, with the Union proposing a minimum price for carbon dioxide in order to achieve a less polluting effect, the coalition partner could finally be content with this model.

more on the subject

Workshop discussion in BerlinThe climate dilemma of the CDU

The question of the steering effect also concerns the second fundamental disagreement: While the Union primarily wants to create incentives for climate-friendly behavior by citizens and companies, the SPD relies more on rules or even prohibitions.

In the paper of the CDU are among other things

  • a better tax incentive for building renovation
  • a "scrapping premium" for the replacement of old oil heaters
  • the expansion of public transport, especially in rural areas
  • promoting the development of climate-friendly technologies

Social Democrat Scholz, who also applies in these weeks as the new SPD leader, says: It should not be "that we only make funding programs and set no rules". Example oil heating: The SPD wants that not only their exchange is promoted - from 2030, the installation should be prohibited.

Where should the extra billions come from?

And also the financing of the planned measures is so far open. It should go by an order of magnitude of 40 to 50 billion euros alone in the next few years. Up to now, leading Union politicians and Scholz have agreed that black zero should also be maintained in the future, ie that no new debt for climate protection should be included.

However, there are other ideas in the SPD, especially among the candidates for the party presidency. In addition: The leeway that provides the debt brake for new government loans would not be enough for the expected additional expenditure anyway.

Finance Minister Scholz rejects the idea of ​​an "climate and innovation fund" as proposed by the CDU in its paper. That the state subsidizes private deposits with an artificial interest rate of, for example, two percent, it holds in times of zero or even negative interest rates wrong. Even in the Union, there is resistance to the model. Scholz argues that a CO2 price, higher ticket taxes on flights or a higher car tax give it additional income. This creates "a scope of action that is greater than you think". But the money should not be enough.

For four days Union and SPD still have time to make an agreement. On Thursday, there will be another coalition committee, to further meetings in smaller rounds.

It is clear to everyone that a compromise has to be reached on Friday when global climate protection is to be demonstrated. Otherwise the coalition could stop governing at the same time.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2019-09-16

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