"That is so hypocritical": Söder's climate announcement angered the Greens

Markus Söder announced major climate plans - but a little later, the CSU caught up with the environment minister's wind plans.

In an interview with Merkur.de, the Greens attest a "drama" with no effect.

Munich - The polls recently saw the Union clearly behind the Greens in favor of voters.

And then there was also a drastic climate judgment from Karlsruhe: Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) reacted on Monday with an all-round climate change - presumably to both messages at the same time.

The thesis that Söder now wants to look green like the greens, it was obvious. But doubts are being raised about the announcements. On Wednesday, the CSU boss was overtaken by his own coalition partner: Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters) announced further measures, including on the subject of wind power - the "10-H rule" (see info box) should be dropped. But CSU general secretary Markus Blume

immediately

cashed the advance in

Munich's Merkur

.

The Greens, on the other hand, not only accuse Söder of paying lip service - there are no concrete steps for the near future, Söder's climate positioning is "hypocritical", complained the energy and climate protection spokesman for the Landtag Greens, Martin Stümpfig, in an interview

Merkur.de

.

The quick end to Glauber's plans is also proof that Söder is only delivering a "play": "Always only nice plans, but when things get concrete, pinch" is the stipulation of the CSU.

Söder announces the climate plan - and annoys the Greens: Wind power blockade shows the CSU's “loss of reality”

The list of Söder's climate wishes was long on Monday: “Cleantech offensive with more renewable energies, agricultural solar parks, photovoltaic compulsory on new buildings, urban farming, wood before concrete, expansion of public transport and rail, as well as ecological driving with an end to the fossil combustion engine by 2035, ”said Bavaria's head of government.

It's so hypocritical.

Words are really lacking.

Martin Stümpfig, climate policy spokesman for the Landtag Greens, on Markus Söder's reaction to the Karlsruhe ruling on the Climate Protection Act

But stupid doubts Söder's will to actually act.

“For now, these are big, big announcements again.

Targets are announced that are a long way off.

We haven't heard anything from Mr Söder about any concrete measures. ”Glauber's plans to abolish the 10-H rule would have been“ a step ”, perhaps even the way over a“ golden bridge ”after the Karlsruhe judge's verdict, Stümpfig explained .

Instead, a "loss of reality" by the CSU is revealed - without the expansion of wind power, a climate-neutral Bavaria would not be feasible at all by 2040, the Green said.

Solar energy alone is not a sufficient option, since electricity consumption is highest and solar electricity generation is lowest in winter.

Climate measures in Bavaria - important terms

The 10-H rule:

The

rule that

has been in force in Bavaria since 2014 states that a wind turbine must be at least ten times its height away from residential developments.

In order to be able to deviate from this, a municipal council must take an express resolution.

Critics complain that since then the expansion of wind power in Bavaria has practically come to a standstill.

Markus Söder and the CSU want to stick to "10-H".

CO2 shadow price:

The Greens have been calling for this mechanism for some time: The so-called CO2 shadow price should be set at 180 euros per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) in all profitability calculations for all awards and construction projects in the state.

Stubbornly, Söder's reaction to the failure of the federal climate law in Karlsruhe went tough.

Söder signed the Federal Climate Protection Act in 2019, and its Bavarian counterpart was just six months old.

“And then he stands up and welcomes the verdict from Karlsruhe - that's so hypocritical.

Words are really lacking ”, said Stümpfig

Merkur.de

.

So far, Bavarian climate policy has only consisted of announcements: "We have nothing, really nothing, since Markus Söder has been Prime Minister."

Söders climate plan: Greens angry about "nice goals" - "Free voters have nothing to report"

In view of the tight CO2 budget to avert the massive consequences of climate change, action must now be taken, Stümpfig continued. In an urgent application, the Greens in the Landtag have already called for measures that can be implemented directly, including a CO2 shadow price, planning-safe solar compulsory for all new buildings, mandatory e-mobility in state vehicle fleets wherever possible, a wind agency from the state forests - and the abolition of the 10-H rule, which the CSU has now rejected again.

The above could be adopted by the end of May, says the Green.

So it will show: "What happens now or nothing happens?".

In view of the coalition disputes, the Free Voters and the Ministry of the Environment cannot be counted on: "Unfortunately, what the Free Voters propose does not matter because they have nothing to report."

Greens contradict Söder on the subject of climate and plan to refer to a referendum - Association reprimands "worst climate law"

Stümpfig also doubted one of Söder's most striking statements. Ecological awareness has long been "part of everyday culture", the CSU boss had declared. It looks a little bit different. It is true that there is a high level of acceptance among the population for climate issues or renewable energies. It often looks different when it comes to concrete purchase decisions. That was "human", explained the Green. Nevertheless, more environmental education is now needed - all democratic parties are faced with “a lot of work”.

Stümpfig did not rule out agreeing to a new climate law of the state government if the coalition around Söder “understood the wake-up call from Karlsruhe”.

Nevertheless, the Greens now want to initiate a referendum together with the SPD, ÖDP, the associations LBV and Bund Naturschutz as well as Fridays For Future - probably analogous to the success of the bee referendum.

However, there are “high hurdles”, Stümpfig admitted.

"We have to see what Corona allows us."

CSU climate policy under fire: “Germany's worst law” - Söder also announced forest measures

The Bavarian State Representation of the Federal Renewable Energy Association also criticized it on Wednesday. In a letter to Söder, available to

Merkur.de

, the association attested that the Free State had “one of the worst climate protection laws in Germany”. It should now be clarified in a meeting of the Energy and Climate Advisory Council: "What remaining CO2 budget do we have for Bavaria if we want to make our contribution to compliance with the Paris resolutions?" .

Söder himself sees Bavaria and the CSU, however, as pioneers when it comes to climate protection. In fact, the Free State had received some impulses under its aegis. In addition to the proposals of the referendum “Save the bees”, Söder also put a forest offensive on the agenda. A total of 30 million trees are to be planted by 2023 - five million more than originally planned. (

fn with material from dpa

)