Robert Habeck (Greens) believes that after the latest talks within the traffic light coalition, it is possible that the controversial heating law will be passed soon (photomontage). © IMAGO/Frank Hoermann / SVEN SIMON
Habeck and Scholz are optimistic that the heating law will be passed before the summer break. The FDP, however, reports a need for clarification – and the CDU immediately presents its own proposals.
Berlin – In the dispute over the heating law, "it squeaks" in the traffic light coalition from time to time, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) admitted on Saturday. But Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) expressed confidence on Monday (5 June) that the controversial amendment to the law could be passed before the summer break, provided that "all stakeholders play along benevolently." Headwinds come from the coalition itself and from the opposition. CDU politician Ralph Brinkhaus presented his own "seven-point plan" for the heat transition on Monday, and Union parliamentary group deputy Jens Spahn (CDU) even pleaded for "other ways" in climate protection.
Talks behind the scenes are going well, according to Habeck - CDU politician provides new headwind
The talks, which are now being continued behind the scenes, are going "quite well," Habeck said in Berlin on Monday. He sees no "fundamental problem" of getting a good law and a deal before the summer holidays, said the Minister of Economic Affairs. Scholz also expressed optimism and spoke of "constructive" talks. Originally, the Heating Act was supposed to come into force at the turn of the year, but it would have to be passed before the parliamentary summer recess. Now there are only three weeks left in the Bundestag and time is running out. In addition, the FDP has already announced a need for further clarification. From the point of view of the Liberals, an agreement before the summer recess is unrealistic.
But headwinds are not only blowing within the coalition, the opposition also apparently sees a need for improvement in the heating law. CDU politician Brinkhaus shared a seven-point plan for the heat transition on Twitter. The popularity of Brinkhaus' proposal was initially moderate in the short message service, after more than seven hours the idea had four "likes". His party colleague Jens Spahn also argued against the heating law on Monday in the "ARD morning magazine". There is neither a majority for this in society nor in parliament. "Climate protection is only capable of winning a majority if it is done sensibly," said Spahn.
Brinkhaus' seven-point plan: "Fewer regulations and restrictions urgently"
In principle, Brinkhaus agreed that the "fight against the dangers of global warming and their consequences is the great task of humanity in this millennium". He called for a bipartisan consensus that would offer citizens a "reliable planning perspective". According to point two of the CDU politician, heat pumps are a key technology for achieving CO₂ neutrality. This requires a stable subsidy system for the conversion of the heating system, which all property owners can afford. Municipal heat planning is also crucial. Where "where there is district heating, the municipalities and municipal utilities should get this off the ground quickly," was the politician's third proposal.
Brinkhaus assumes that CO₂ neutrality of heating will not be achieved in all buildings by 2045 anyway, which is why it is necessary to offset emissions and cites the injection of CO₂ under the seabed as a possibility. For example, Germany would be "net CO₂-neutral" in 2045. In point five, the MEP mentions natural gas as a bridging technology that "must be replaced by green hydrogen as soon as possible" and pleads for the promotion of hydrogen technology. "Climate technologies such as wind power, photovoltaics, electric mobility, heat pumps or even hydrogen are essential for the survival of the future of our industry," says Brinkhaus in point six. He therefore advocated a "strong industrial policy of these 'clean technologies'".
For the expansion of renewable energies - such as wind turbines - he called for "urgently fewer regulations and restrictions". In the past, the CDU had campaigned for a nationwide distance rule of wind turbines of a thousand meters. In CSU-led Bavaria, the 10H regulation is in force.
CDU politician Spahn wants to find "other ways" in climate protection and achieve "higher acceptance"
While Brinkhaus is apparently sticking to the goal of climate neutrality in the building sector, his party colleague Jens Spahn wants to find "other ways" in climate protection with which "significantly less money can be spent" and "higher acceptance" can be achieved. After all, the world's climate will "not be saved in Germany alone". After all, Germany's share of global CO₂ emissions is just two percent, said the CDU/CSU politician. Therefore, politicians must "do it in such a way that it retains acceptance in the end".
If Spahn had read Brinkhaus' seven-point plan, he would be more familiar with the proportionalities of German emissions: "We have one percent of the world's population in Germany – but two percent of CO₂ emissions and probably over 50 percent of the technology to solve the CO₂ problem," it said. However, the two CDU colleagues agreed on the point of offsetting emissions. In this context, Spahn referred to proposals by climate researchers, according to which the capture and storage of CO₂ underground is possible - a technology that has so far been banned in Germany.
Spahn also criticized that the traffic light would have made climate protection a "question of faith, ideology". In the previous government, however, this was a "question of reason". In an interview on Saturday as part of the "Long Night of Time", Chancellor Scholz recalled that the previous CDU-led government, in which Social Democrats were also involved, had defined climate targets in the distant future and then did too little to achieve them. This has increased the current challenge, said the Federal Chancellor. The Heating Act stipulates that from 2024 onwards, 65 percent of every newly installed heating system will be powered by renewable energies.
