The CDU boss invites you to the “Future Congress” for climate-friendly technologies.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin The question of how to deal with the climate crisis without simultaneously stalling the economy has become a global race for green technologies. With its gigantic economic stimulus program “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), the USA want to massively promote climate-friendly innovations and thus also advertise green start-ups.
The EU reacted with a green industrial plan (Green Deal Industrial Plan), and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has set up – among other programs – a support program for start-ups with green technologies called the “Deeptech & Climate Fund” (DTCF).
Because of the importance of the topic, the CDU is holding a “Future Congress” for climate-friendly technologies on Thursday. Many founders from the greentech sector have been invited, such as the start-up Marvel Fusion from Munich, which wants to secure the energy supply of tomorrow with the help of nuclear fusion.
The event is also likely to be an attempt by the CDU to gain favor with start-ups. According to a survey by the start-up association, the party is currently far behind the Greens and Liberals when it comes to founders. Last year, the CDU received ten percent approval among the start-ups surveyed, the FDP 26.4, and the Greens 50.8.
Now the Union Party wants to occupy green economic issues more for itself. Their promise: “to make climate protection made in Germany a top export and a guarantee for new jobs”, as party chairman Friedrich Merz writes in the invitation to the “Future Congress”.
The managing director of the start-up association, Christoph Stresing, assesses the efforts of the CDU to focus on start-ups as “consistent and correct” so that Germany’s competitiveness does not get “under the wheels”.
Greentech start-ups are demanding concrete measures
Start-ups that offer green technologies (greentechs, cleantechs) are also happy that the CDU is taking on their topic, but they are also making very specific demands that they want to see represented by the Bundestag opposition party.
Lubomila Jordanova co-founded the start-up Plan A, which offers software solutions for corporate carbon accounting. She welcomes the fact that the CDU is seeking “dialogue with industry and cleantech on the inseparably intertwined issues of climate, sustainability and the economy”. But she also demands that politicians work to create the necessary political framework – such as appropriate CO2 pricing and the faster expansion of renewable energies.
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Andreas Büchler, co-founder and managing director of the start-up Ionysis, which develops low-emission technology for hydrogen-powered trucks, makes a similar statement. “We would be pleased if the CDU dealt with future-oriented solutions in a broad sense at the ‘Future Congress’,” says Büchler.
Criticism of the concept of openness to technology
But he also has specific demands: “faster immigration, English-language forms at the office, dual citizenship – an honest welcome culture instead of harsh tones”. In addition, fewer bureaucratic hurdles for young companies and reliable long-term tailwind for the energy transition are needed in order to remain globally competitive.
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Büchler emphasizes that Germany is in a global race for innovations. For him, it is clear: “Bans can also accelerate Germany.” There is no point in relying on concepts under the guise of openness to technology that would soon have become obsolete internationally, such as e-fuels (synthetic fuels) in combustion engines.
However, these political ideas are unlikely to meet with much approval from the CDU. In a motion from March, the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag called for the promotion of e-fuels and “technology openness in all areas of transport”.
In addition, party leader Merz recently railed on ARD that climate protection cannot be implemented through regulations, paternalism and bans. So there is a need to speak at the “Future Congress”.
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