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Criticism of weakened climate targets: "Bankruptcy Declaration of the Federal Government"

2019-10-07T07:20:19.137Z


The Federal Government clearly weakens its climate protection targets significantly. There is also criticism from their own ranks. In the Chancellery, however, one is still convinced of the program.



Already on Wednesday, the government wants to pass its climate protection law. However, the draft remains well behind the original plans. Environmental organizations were appalled. And also from the ranks of the parties there is strong criticism.

Former CDU politician Ruprecht Polenz wrote on Twitter: "It needs clear goals and intermediate goals so that the Paris climate target can be achieved and it needs an annual review of the intermediate results achieved in order to be able to post tax."

It needs clear goals and intermediate goals to reach the Paris climate target. And it needs an annual review of the achieved ... https://t.co/D8V935AtPk

- Ruprecht Polenz (@polenz_r) October 6, 2019

Left-leaning Dietmar Bartsch tweeted: "What kind of government? Every week a new opinion, they can not." The first parliamentary director of the Greens, Britta Haßelmann, spoke of a "bankruptcy". Even with the climate package originally announced by the CDU / CSU and the SPD, compliance with the climate targets of Paris would not have been possible anymore. "#BRG (the federal government) seems to be lagging behind - worse is never possible".

"A Toothless Tiger"

The SPD presidential candidate Karl Lauterbach criticized the draft. He wrote on Twitter: "If the climate package is weakened even further by the Union, it is just a toothless tiger.All that is missing, must be made much more expensive and drastic by our children.The SPD should not be on the wrong side of the History. "

Chancellery head Helge Braun has defended the program of the government meanwhile. "This program is still better than what is known today," he said in the ZDF "morning magazine". In the next few years, the starting price for the price of emissions of climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) will rise from ten euros per tonne of CO2 to 60. "So there's a momentum in there, and that's not enough for the climate protectors, but that's far from ambitious enough for ordinary citizens."

Asked about defusing the Climate Action Act regarding the 2040 and 2050 targets, he said, "We have now made a 2030 climate plan." The 2030 targets were promised as a European Union at the climate change conference in Paris, and Germany pledged to be more ambitious than other Member States. "And the Climate Protection Act, which we are going to say goodbye in the next few days, will set this very national 2030 climate target."

Control mechanisms weakened

It's about making it easier for people to switch to energy-efficient purchases, Braun said. "At the next decision for a heater, at the next decision for a car, there one should turn around and not be punished for his behavior of yesterday today."

The final draft of the Climate Protection Act is available to SPIEGEL. As a result, the law appears to be less ambitious than initially planned. Thus, unlike the original plan for the year 2040, no national goal for CO2 savings will be defined any more. The control mechanisms for compliance with the climate goals have also been weakened. (Read here an analysis of the parties' positions on the climate protection package)

Environmental organizations have strongly criticized the draft. "What we needed would have been a clear business plan for climate protection," says Kai Niebert, head of the German Nature Conservation Union.

Criticizing "Extinction Rebellion"

Also climate activists should not be pleased about the draft. In Berlin, the "Extinction Rebellion" alliance started this Monday with a blockade. Among other things, supporters of the group occupy the streets around the Victory Column - a transport hub of the capital.

Chancellery head Braun said on ZDF, it was okay to demonstrate more climate protection. "But announcing dangerous attacks on the road does not work."

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2019-10-07

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