If even companies are calling for more climate protection, all alarm bells should sound

Wind turbines

Companies are demanding more climate protection from the future government.

(Photo: dpa)

At the latest when companies demand stricter measures in terms of climate protection, all alarm bells should really ring among politicians. To be precise with all those involved from the SPD, Greens and FDP who are currently in coalition negotiations.

The “Stiftung 2 Grad” initiative, which is backed by German giants such as Allianz, Rossmann, Otto, SAP, Eon and Adidas, did just that on Monday. A total of 69 corporations are calling for an earlier coal phase-out, the significantly faster expansion of wind and solar power and better framework conditions through reform of taxes, levies and surcharges.

You have recognized what the black-red government has knowingly ignored in recent years: If everything continues as before, Germany can already bury its climate targets. It is not the first appeal from the ranks of the business community. After all, the “Foundation 2 Grad” has been around for almost ten years. Be the year in which things went downhill for Germany in terms of the energy transition.

Almost at the same time, the solar industry collapsed after the politically desired cut in subsidies under the price pressure of Chinese competition. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost, countless companies slipped into bankruptcy and the photovoltaic expansion collapsed completely. For the domestic wind industry, there was also a slight delay in the direction of the crisis. Years of approval procedures, resisting federal states and increasing protests from the population have since shaken what was once Europe’s largest wind market. Not to mention the only marginal progress in the expansion of the power lines.

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In the meantime, more wind and solar parks are being built again. But not nearly enough to make up for lost time. For the economy, however, the failures of the grand coalition are now becoming a business risk. Because within two years, the climate change has become an economic factor not only in Germany, but in Europe and many other parts of the world. Renewable energies have long been the cheapest way of generating electricity in many parts of the world, and the consequences of climate change are becoming a billion-dollar risk.

Companies are now further than the government

Many companies have now understood this and are trying to make their business more sustainable. They are adapting their strategy, although perhaps not to the extent that some climate activists would like them to. But they move.

All that politics has done in recent years, however, is to formulate a goal. And even that she had to sharpen after a decision by the Federal Constitutional Court. What politics has not done, however, is to pave the way to this goal. The outgoing federal government’s climate goals are nothing but an empty shell.

Not only do many companies see it that way, but also economists and scientists. The economy Veronika Grimm and the head of the German Energy Agency Andreas Kuhlmann are demanding a coherent overall concept from the next federal government and an end to the current small-scale measures that run aimlessly side by side and in the end fizzle out. To do this, they list specific recommendations for action. A total of 84 in number.

Economic strength and climate protection go hand in hand

These are demands that are anything but new. But so far politics has always listened away. Of course, the wind power industry demands more wind turbines, the solar industry more solar systems and the industry better framework conditions for the expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure. The companies do not act out of selflessness or environmental awareness, but out of business acumen. But at this point, profit orientation and climate protection are now almost one and the same.

In order to achieve the goal of 65 percent renewable energies by 2030, we simply need more renewables. Anyone who does not want to have coal-fired power plants connected to the grid in ten years’ time to avoid CO2 will have to build new gas-fired power plants and large energy storage facilities in order to guarantee security of supply. In order for the climate neutrality to work by 2045, the gas-fired power plants must then be converted to green hydrogen within this time.

All of this is feasible – if the new federal government stops formulating only goals and finally creates the appropriate framework conditions to achieve these goals.

More: “Climate neutrality cannot be induced” – experts call for a radical change in direction in climate policy

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