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Too small, too late?
Workers build wind turbines near Ludwigsdorf
Photo: Florian Gaertner / photothek / imago images
Germany threatens to miss its self-imposed climate targets for 2030 and 2040 if the next federal government does not take further action.
The measures adopted so far, such as the 2030 climate protection program and the economic stimulus package from June, would not be sufficient, according to the "Projection Report 2021 for Germany" just six weeks before the federal election.
The "Handelsblatt" reported on Thursday.
The Climate Protection Act stipulates that emissions must fall by 65 percent in this and 88 percent in the next decade compared to 1990. However, according to the forecast, Germany will clearly miss both goals if the measures taken so far are retained.
By 2030, it was only 49 percent down, and by 2040 by 67 percent.
Instead of ten years, Germany would need twice as long for the first stage goal.
The Federal Environment Agency commissioned the investigation.
Climate experts from Öko-Institut, Fraunhofer ISI, IREES and Thünen-Institut have calculated the scenarios.
They assumed that 8.4 million electric cars will be registered in Germany by 2030.
The installed output of the wind turbines would increase from the current 54 to 71 gigawatts and almost double in the case of solar systems.
How to proceed with climate protection is one of the controversial issues in the federal election campaign, such as the question of the earlier coal phase-out and the transport turnaround that are actually essential from the point of view of scientists.
SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz had spoken out against an earlier end this week at an election date in Cottbus near the coal mining districts in Lusatia.
Controversial issue of the coal phase-out
"A coal phase-out in 2038 is not compatible with the German climate target," said Green candidate Annalena Baerbock.
She pointed out that Union candidate Armin Laschet (CDU) does not want an earlier coal exit.
The Greens are calling for a farewell to coal by 2030 in order to be able to meet the German climate targets, but also the requirements of the EU and the international Paris climate protection agreement.
In the field of transport policy, at least in the election campaign, the government and the opposition are also worlds apart.
At the last "car summit" by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on Wednesday, billions in aid for the transformation of the auto industry and affected suppliers were finally launched.
"Shortly before the election, the federal government is trying to cover up the self-inflicted crisis in vehicle construction with subsidies," criticized FDP traffic expert Oliver Luksic.
The left-wing climate politician Lorenz Gösta Beutin called for tax-financed aid to be linked to specific climate protection requirements, such as an end to the fossil-fuel car by 2030 at the latest.
fww / dpa
