As of October 21, 2021, 4:37 p.m.
The next federal government should take 860 billion euros into its hands for climate protection by 2030, says BDI President Russwurm. He presented a list of how Germany can achieve its climate goals.
The list of demands made by the Federation of German Industries (BDI) on the new federal government is long: Electricity, district heating and hydrogen networks should be expanded over the next nine years, charging and hydrogen filling stations as well as wind and solar systems BDI President Siegfried Russwurm said that the construction of the railway network, the renewal of the energy efficiency of the houses. And he continued the list.
Politicians must support companies on their way to climate neutrality in such a way that renewable energies and their use become significantly cheaper. It must secure internationally competitive energy costs.
A tremendous feat of strength: The Federal Republic needs a gigantic infrastructure offensive for climate protection worth 860 billion euros by 2030. Half of that should go to the energy industry, said Russwurm. That is around 100 billion euros per year and is significantly more than the state has invested so far.
The industry is running out of time. The new federal government must therefore also shorten planning and approval procedures. If they don’t do all of that, Germany will miss its climate protection goals. The goal of climate neutrality is therefore very ambitious, said Russwurm.
“The climate-neutral industrial country is not available for free,” says BDI President Russwurm – neither for companies nor for private households.
Image: dpa
In fact, some of the BDI requirements appear very ambitious: in nine years’ time, almost only cars with alternative drives should be registered, demanded Jens Burchardt from the Boston Consulting Group, which has calculated the financial needs of the industry in the area of climate protection on behalf of the BDI .
For this investment to flow, millions of people, tens of thousands of companies, will have to make different decisions over the next decade than they are doing right now. We will build completely new energy infrastructures. Coordinating this and creating the right incentives for it is the real challenge.
The BDI accused the still-federal government of lack of plan and uncertainty. And that threatens to pose a threat to industry. The responsibility for climate policy should be bundled in a new federal government in the Chancellery, said Russwurm. However: The demands of the industry association also meet with criticism – from anti-lobbyist organizations. Hartmut Bäumer, the Germany boss of Transparency International, shared that ARD capital studio in writing that the BDI is …
… certainly committed to the idea of investing as much as possible in your own company. It is therefore important to distinguish clearly between lobbying interests and scientifically substantiated facts.
Nevertheless, the BDI is right in one point: Climate neutrality by 2045 can only be achieved through joint efforts, explains Transparency International. A high capital requirement is necessary for implementation.
German industry demands billions for climate protection
Andre Seifert, ARD Berlin, October 21, 2021 3:58 p.m.