Reactions to compromise in the Conciliation Committee: Greens see climate package only as a first step

"The blockade of the climate package has ended": North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Armin Laschet has confirmed an agreement between the federal and state governments on the climate package of the federal government. The negotiations were tough, the CDU politician said.

It was tough negotiation on the 3rd Advent: the blockade of the climate package has ended. VAT on the railways drops, commuter allowance is increased and the income from the higher CO2 price flows entirely into a reduction in the EEG surcharge. Relief for medium-sized businesses and private households. https://t.co/jCmLqlwDXj

Representatives of the federal and state governments had achieved a breakthrough in the complex negotiations regarding the climate change package of the federal government. According to this, the CO2 price in traffic and in buildings should start at January 25, 2021 at 25 euros per ton - previously an entry price of 10 euros was planned. The CO2 price is supposed to make fossil heating and fuel more expensive, so that citizens and industry buy and develop climate-friendly technologies.

Greens boss Robert Habeck sees in the agreement now reached a success of the negotiation, unity and persistence of his party. The increase in the CO2 price was expressly enforced against the grand coalition.

"However, that is not what we wanted," said Habeck. They had even more ambitious plans. "However, based on the decision, effective steering will be achieved in Germany and the work will continue, but it is an important intermediate step that has been achieved."

Hofreiter still finds the climate package "completely inadequate"

Anton Hofreiter, leader of the Greens faction, has a similar view. "The result is a step in the right direction, but nothing more," he said. "We support this result, because climate protection counts every year and every ton of CO2," said Hofreiter. However, the federal government's climate package remains completely inadequate. The expansion of renewable energies is lame, the coal phase-out is still not on the table and there is no sign of the turnaround in transport and agriculture.

SPD parliamentary group representative Matthias Miersch welcomed the compromise between the federal government and the federal states regarding a higher CO2 price. "It is good that we have reached an understanding with the Greens. Given their demands, the current entry price is moderate," said Miersch. "That is right and important, because we cannot force climate protection through the price. It would tear our society apart." Promotion, investment and regulatory law are at the center of climate policy.

The SPD member of the Bundestag Karl Lauterbach also described the higher CO2 price on Twitter as "significant improvement". "The next step now is to urgently expand the wind energy by removing the distance rule," he continued. "Otherwise there would be no expansion of renewable energy despite higher petrol and oil prices."

Söder praises compromise

CSU chief Markus Söder praised the compromise as "reasonable and justifiable agreement". With the outcome of the negotiations, "the impending climate blockade has been averted. Now climate protection in Germany can take off," said Söder.

"It was important for the CSU: the higher CO2 price will be returned to the citizens one-to-one, because the electricity price will drop significantly as a result of the lowering of the EEG surcharge," said the Bavarian Prime Minister. It is particularly important for rural areas that the commuter package is not only retained, but is even given a boost. "The bottom line is that the compromise is responsible for climate protection, consumers and rural areas," said Söder. With this agreement, the federal-state finances would also be "on solid feet".

Criticism from the FDP

FDP chief Christian Lindner criticized the compromise. "Before the Groko's CO2 tax was raised for the first time, it should be increased thanks to the Greens," he wrote on Twitter.

While the #EU is striving for a market economy model, #Germany is building a gigantic redistribution apparatus that is now becoming even more expensive for people. Structural change in the #economy is artificially tightened. CL # climate package

"While the EU is striving for a market economy model, Germany is building a gigantic redistribution apparatus that is now becoming even more expensive for people," continued the FDP chief. The structural change in the economy is artificially tightened.