Berlin The expert council for climate issues has rejected the climate plan by transport minister Volker Wissing (FDP) as completely inadequate. On Thursday, the experts who are examining the climate programs on the statutory mandate of the federal government determined that his emergency program was “already without sufficient claim to begin with”.
The plans of building minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) could also not ensure the goals in the building sector. However, their program could make a substantial contribution to reducing emissions.
The targets in the building sector will probably continue to be missed in the next few years, but they could be achieved again from 2028. “Whether the savings can really be realized to this extent seems questionable after our examination,” said the chairman of the council, Hans-Martin Henning.
The deputy chair of the Expert Council, Brigitte Knopf, attested poorer results for the transport sector: “According to the Ministry of Transport, the emergency program for the transport sector saves only 14 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions, so that there is still a mathematical gap in performance of 261 megatons by 2030 .”
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According to the Climate Protection Act, all sectors such as energy, industry, agriculture, buildings and transport have clear, annual targets for their maximum emissions of greenhouse gases. In 2021, buildings and traffic failed to meet their targets.
uncertainties in the law
According to the law, they then had to submit an emergency program to get back on track. Wissing and Geywitz presented their plans for this six weeks ago.
The targets in the building sector will probably continue to be missed in the next few years, but they could be achieved again from 2028
(Photo: dpa)
The government could theoretically ignore this, but this is considered unlikely. By 2030, Germany is obliged to reduce its CO2 emissions by 65 percent compared to 1990. Last year it was around 39 percent.
However, the expert council pointed to vagueness in the law and asked for clarification. These included the time at which the expert council was involved in the review of an emergency program and the exact subject matter of the review.
Above all, the comprehensive immediate climate protection program provided for in the traffic light coalition agreement is causing uncertainty. The coalition agreement also indicates that the goals could also be achieved across sectors and over several years. The energy sector could thus compensate for deficiencies in transport.
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Wissing had also expressly referred to this program. It should already be available, but the government has not yet reached a final agreement, despite partial agreements such as the e-car purchase premium.
Robert Habeck sees the government as having a duty
The Climate Alliance, an association of 140 organizations, accused the FDP of failure and called on the Chancellor to intervene: “Scholz must no longer allow Wissing to refuse to work on climate protection.”
The German Environmental Aid explained that the government had failed miserably and was clearly acting illegally: “Since climate protection can obviously only be enforced in this federal government through the courts, we are now moving to the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg.”
The responsible ministries have done far too little, criticized the federal director of the German Environmental Aid, Barbara Metz. The government is delaying the switch to more climate-friendly heating and is therefore partly responsible for excessively rising heating costs.
>> Read here: Volker Wissing’s climate plan – train travel should replace the short-haul flight
“High efficiency standards and effective renovation incentives must be the focus of the new emergency program in order to protect low-income households in particular from price fluctuations and fossil dependence.” The organization wants to sue the immediate traffic program.
According to the announcement, Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Habeck said that the government is now obliged to decide on the immediate climate protection program in September. All areas must make their contribution. “It’s not about abstract numbers, it’s about preserving the basis for a life of freedom and prosperity.”
Ricarda Lang sees promising approaches
Green leader Ricarda Lang also demanded a decision in September. There are many approaches in traffic, such as a reform of the company car privilege, an extension of the 9-euro ticket in local traffic or a speed limit on German motorways. “But what’s not possible is always just saying ‘no’,” said Lang.
According to preliminary figures, Germany’s emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases increased by 4.5 percent last year, as the Federal Environment Agency announced in March. Even a year later, Germany is still missing the target set for 2020 of 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990. Emissions fell by only 38.7 percent compared to 1990.
More: More charging stations for electric cars? Habeck stops Wissing’s plans