Berlin In view of the climate crisis, the Greens are sticking to a coal phase-out by 2030 despite the energy problems. “The summer has shown us again: Extreme weather is increasing and becoming more and more dangerous,” says the main motion of the federal executive for the party conference in October. Heat waves in 2022 had regions on all continents under control for weeks, and Germany also had to struggle with temperature records.
“The logical political conclusion from this is the accelerated phase-out of coal as early as 2030 and a power supply based on 100 percent renewables in 2035,” the 14-page paper, which is available to the Handelsblatt, continues. This is not only of central importance for the climate and energy independence, but also to curb the rise in energy costs.
The starting position could hardly be more challenging, describes Ricarda Lang and Omid Nouripour led party’s location. “In recent years, a lot has been missed and deliberately hindered.” Far too few efforts have been made to expand renewable energies and become less dependent on fossil fuels. “Otherwise we would be better prepared for the current crises.”
The coal phase-out law passed by the grand coalition envisages gradually reducing coal-fired power generation and ending it entirely by the end of 2038 at the latest. The traffic light government had agreed in the coalition agreement to “ideally” bring forward the phase-out of coal to 2030.
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In view of the energy crisis, however, the goal is likely to be difficult to achieve. In order not to have to use gas to generate electricity, the current trend is to connect coal-fired power plants back to the grid.
The leaders of the party.
(Photo: Getty Images; Per-Anders Pettersson)
This was made possible by the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck. The so-called “Ordinance on the temporary expansion of the power generation offer by plants from the grid reserve” allows oil and coal-fired power plants that are currently in the grid reserve to return to the electricity market for a limited period until the end of winter 2022/2023. The federal cabinet passed the ordinance in July.
Greens want to significantly limit global warming
At the green base, this swing is quite controversial. It is definitely not an easy step to start up the coal-fired power plants again, said Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge recently to the Handelsblatt, but also explained: “At the same time, we will implement the coal phase-out 2030 as a traffic light.” In addition, coal-fired power plants are part of the European CO2 certificate trade. This means that CO2 emissions are capped.
>> Read here: No money for stable companies: How the traffic light could save the gas surcharge
In the lead motion, the Federal Executive Committee of the Greens reaffirmed the goal of bringing Germany onto the 1.5 degree path. In the Paris Climate Agreement at the end of 2015, the international community committed to limiting global warming to well below two degrees, if possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius in pre-industrial comparison. This is a prerequisite for being able to control the consequences of climate change at all.
Global warming and the loss of biological diversity call into question the basis of life and are therefore the greatest dangers for the future.
The accelerated expansion of renewable energies is at the core of the Greens’ strategy. At the same time, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is also forcing new paths, it is said. Dependence on Russian energy sources must be ended as soon as possible.
The aim is to curb gas consumption, diversify energy imports and build liquid gas terminals. According to the ideas of the Greens, these should be converted to hydrogen by 2030. For emergencies, it is said, “coal-fired power plants remain in reserve for a little longer”.
The Greens did not comment on the extension of the lifetime of the three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany. The reason for this is the lack of results from the new stress test ordered by Economics Minister Habeck. As soon as these are available, the federal executive board will consult with the parliamentary group and contribute to the debate in the form of an amendment, a spokeswoman told the Handelsblatt.
>> Read here: stress test: Longer terms for nuclear power plants likely – two reactors could remain connected to the grid
The Greens are calling on the federal government to present the announced immediate climate protection program “immediately” in view of the worsening climate crisis. “All federal ministries and coalition partners are called upon to initiate the necessary measures constructively and without blinkers.”
Greens call for climate neutrality in all sectors
The Federal Executive Board is sticking to the responsibility of the individual sectors for the climate targets. “Paris-compliant climate neutrality can only be achieved if emissions in all sectors are quickly ended,” says the application.
Most recently, there had been calls from the FDP to abandon the sector-specific targets that the grand coalition had passed. This is about specifications for the energy sector, for industry, for buildings, for transport, for agriculture and for waste management, which have to save a certain amount of greenhouse gases every year. If the targets are missed, the responsible ministry must set up an emergency program to close the gap.
>> Read here: Forests, moors, bodies of water: Environment Minister Lemke presents the natural climate protection action program
Once again, the Greens spoke out in favor of procurement quotas for climate-neutral raw materials and climate protection contracts, so-called Carbon Contracts for Difference. In this way, the public sector would finance the difference to the market price for green products that are not yet marketable. The Greens are convinced that this will help the industry to convert production to be climate-neutral.
The Greens want to make Europe more independent of imports in the field of renewable energies.
(Photo: dpa)
In order to become less dependent on technology imports, according to the ideas of the Greens, a strategy for a common, independent European industrial policy for the production of generating plants for renewable energies should be initiated. Large parts of Europe can both supply itself from domestic renewable energy sources and also increasingly produce the necessary technology itself.
An energy supply based on 100 percent renewables only works in Europe. “That The sun doesn’t shine all over Europe and the wind doesn’t blow, that rarely happens.” The European grids must therefore be strengthened and renewables made the standard throughout Europe.
The Greens do not accept excuses. “Precisely because of the war against Ukraine and the increasingly noticeable consequences of the climate crisis, some may doubt whether all this can be achieved,” it says. Again many said that there are more important things now. “But it is precisely this attitude that has brought us to the point where we are now.” The climate crisis will not wait. “We decide here and now whether it will become a climate catastrophe or not.”
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