Before the Federal Council's vote on parts of the climate package, Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) warned the federal states not to delay the introduction of the laws. "It is important to me that the cheapening of train travel is not stopped," she told the newspapers of the Funke media group. A delay in the discharge planned for early January would be "politically absolutely wrong".
Schulze also said that the federal government had set the right course with the climate package. But nobody should put their hands in their lap. "It may be that next year we will have to go back in some areas to reach our climate change goals in all sectors," she said. "Tempo 130 on motorways would be a possible measure," said Schulze. "I think that makes sense - for safety and climate protection reasons - to stop global warming, every tonne of CO2 is less important."
Controversy over new regulations on taxes
The federal states could stop important parts of the climate package of the federal government for the time being this Friday. The Federal Council advises on which laws the Conciliation Committee should be convened.
more on the subject
In the run-up to the deliberations, it was expected that the Länder could stop some of the regulations for the time being - especially the tax regulations. These include the increase in the commuter commuter tax, the reduction of VAT for train tickets and the tax incentive for building renovation. Countries are demanding more compensation for tax losses.
Negotiations on the overall package?
In particular, the heads of state of Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg had demanded significant improvements to the climate package. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) had said: "Schleswig-Holstein will not be able to agree to the law for financial reasons." Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) had criticized that the climate package was neither fast nor effective enough, and the government did not understand the significance of the climate crisis.
It is questionable whether the Länder also demand the Conciliation Committee for the Climate Protection Act, the increase of the ticket tax for flights and the introduction of a CO2 price for transport and heating. These would then be negotiations for a total package. Although these three laws are not in need of approval - the Federal Council may also call for the convening of a mediation committee here. Then the schedule of the black-red federal government would be in danger.
Global climate protests announced this Friday
Meanwhile, this Friday just before the start of the World Climate Change Conference in Madrid, thousands of people around the world want to take to the streets again for more climate protection. The German branch of the climate movement Fridays for Future announced actions in more than 500 cities in Germany. In Berlin alone, 50,000 participants were registered with the police for a demonstration, which is to lead from the Brandenburg Gate through the government district.
According to the network, there are more than 2,400 cities in 157 countries worldwide. This is the fourth edition of a globally coordinated major protest of this kind. According to new figures from the Federal Environmental Agency, the average air temperature in Germany has already increased by 1.5 degrees from 1881 to 2018 - and by 0.3 degrees in the last five years alone ,