Proposal by Kramp-Karrenbauer: Green and Left criticize "national climate consensus"

After the summer break, CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer wanted to approach the other parties to discuss "common solutions" in climate protection policy. She had announced this in the ZDF "Summer Interview". However, the reactions of the other parties are mixed: While the FDP signaled Monday on approval, there was strong criticism from the Greens and the Left and from the environmental organization Greenpeace. For their part, they accused the Union of blocking climate protection.

The topic of climate was "penetrating", Kramp-Karrenbauer had said in an interview. Therefore, it will not be enough just to find agreements within the federal government. At the moment it is to be experienced that each party brings its own ideas on the way. "But in the end, it has to be a concept that is supported by the breadth of the population."

Previously, Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) had rejected the plans of Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) for a carbon price. Lower Saxony's prime minister Stephan Weil (SPD) accused Altmaier blockade.

"Blockade against overdue measures"

Germany needed a national climate consensus and his party wanted to cooperate, said FDP leader Christian Lindner . Only in this way can the climate be effectively protected and, at the same time, a division of society, such as in France, prevented. Lindner reiterated the proposal to expand emissions trading.

The Greens, however, declared that there was already a climate consensus: the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This must now be implemented, demanded fraction leader Anton Hofreiter . However, the Union has so far said "no to any concrete action on climate change". What is needed is a rapid expansion of renewable energies and a rapid coal exit, as well as a change in traffic and agriculture.

Similarly expressed the Greenpeace expert Niklas Schinerl. In Germany, consensus has long prevailed over ambitious climate protection. It is the Union parties that have to give up their "blockade against overdue measures". For example, the end of the internal combustion engine would be delayed and the carbon leakage and the expansion of renewable energies postponed.

Left-wing MP Gesine Lötzsch said that the announced climate consensus was just "another attempt to prevent future-oriented decisions". Still lacking a climate protection law and the coal exit is not yet regulated by law.