For the first time, members of the Bundestag discussed the reform of the Climate Protection Act - the debate was heated.
Berlin - There was a violent exchange of blows on Thursday when the new climate protection law was first discussed in the Bundestag.
Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), but also Green parliamentary group leader Anton Hofreiter, accused the Union in particular of a blockade policy on climate protection.
The SPD, “a large majority of the population”, has long wanted more effective climate protection, said Schulze in the debate. "You all here know who did not want that and who tried to water down my draft," she said, referring to the CDU / CSU. The Federal Constitutional Court has now "clearly rejected" this position, the minister said. "We are very happy to implement this judgment."
Above all, Hofreiter called for more concrete measures in order to achieve the planned, stricter emission targets.
However, this is currently the issue between the Union and the SPD.
"Climate protection has to be done with specific laws and proposals," emphasized Hofreiter.
He also attacked SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz, who,
together with Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU), “stirs up resentment”
with slogans about the price of petrol in the
Bild
newspaper.
Consultations on the Climate Protection Act: "We want enthusiasm and not asceticism"
Hofreiter rejected allegations that the Greens would overwhelm many people with new burdens.
Concerns about jobs, mobility or rising rents are justified, but his party wants to "relieve above all people with lower incomes" with the energy money it has planned.
"We take care of the social balance," said Hofreiter.
The CSU environmental expert Anja Weisgerber promoted an ambitious “climate protection policy with a sense of proportion”.
Much has already been achieved here.
Weisgerber acknowledged higher CO2 pricing, but this had to be “moderate” and be accompanied by reductions in the price of electricity, for example.
"We want enthusiasm and not asceticism," said the CSU politician.
Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch accused the Union and SPD of neglecting climate protection for far too long.
"There is no one in their right mind who denies the need for the 1.5-degree target," he emphasized.
However, Bartsch opposed the fact that "the price screw is being turned too much".
Goals of the Climate Protection Act: Experts see massive demand for coal phasing out
The reform of the Climate Protection Act had become necessary because the Federal Constitutional Court in its ruling at the end of April called for changes to the previous law and because the EU had also significantly tightened its climate targets.
The Bundestag should pass the new law in June, if possible together with an emergency climate program.
With the new law, the climate protection requirements are tightened and the goal of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 anchored. The CO2 reduction target for 2030 is to increase by ten percentage points to at least 65 percent compared to the level in 1990. According to the federal government, a reduction target of at least 88 percent should apply for the year 2040.
The law also provides for specific annual reduction targets for the years up to 2040, for the period up to 2030 already for individual economic sectors. Only for the energy sector are there already fixed upper limits for annual emissions for 2022 and 2030. Experts assume that the coal phase-out must be significantly accelerated in order to achieve the target for 2030; There is also a massive need for action in the transport and building sectors.
(AFP / dpa / frs)
