Bundestag approves reform of the climate protection law

The farewell was in the balance. But now the Bundestag has decided on changes to the Climate Protection Act. The opposition voted against it. The CDU spoke of a step backwards for climate protection.

The Bundestag has passed the controversial reform of the Climate Protection Act. The representatives of the traffic light factions voted for the change in the law. The opposition voted against it. The reform of the law came about primarily at the request of the FDP. The law still has to pass the Federal Council.

The reform of the Climate Protection Act provides for fundamental changes. So far, if individual sectors such as transport or buildings fail to meet legal requirements for carbon dioxide emissions, the responsible ministries must submit emergency programs the following year.

Last year, the traffic and building sectors failed to meet the requirements. Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) had threatened to take drastic measures, including driving bans on the weekend, if the Bundestag did not decide on the reform of the Climate Protection Act by summer – then Wissing would have had to present an immediate program so that the transport sector met the climate targets.

Climate goals across sectors to reach

With the reform, compliance with the climate targets should no longer be checked retroactively by sector, but rather with a view to the future, over a period of several years and across sectors. What is crucial is that climate goals are achieved overall. If it becomes apparent in two consecutive years that the federal government is not on track to meet its climate target for 2030, it will have to make adjustments.

Criticism from the CDU

The CDU energy politician Andreas Jung spoke of a gutting of the climate protection law and a step backwards for climate protection. The traffic light gives itself carte blanche. With the weakening of the binding sector targets, the heart of the law is being torn away, said Jung, who particularly criticized the Greens: “I could not have imagined that you, the Greens, would agree to the gutting, the weakening of this law. And I could have even more imagination What’s wrong is that you’re sugarcoating it here too. You’re on the wrong track.”

CDU MP Thomas Heilmann appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court to prevent a vote. However, the court rejected his urgent application.

FDP criticizes old regulation

Today, traffic light representatives defended the reform. The FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr said that the old climate protection law was a planned economy. “The climate doesn’t care at all whether the CO2 emissions come from the energy sector, the industrial sector or the transport sector, ladies and gentlemen. We adhere to the climate protection goals. That is the mandate of this federal government.”

SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch drew attention to one point in the discussion: “Not one gram of CO2 can be emitted anymore according to the further developed climate protection law.”

The Green Party parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge said that the climate protection law is looking forward in the future. “For the first time, this country is able to meet the 2030 climate target and this is a historic achievement for this coalition.” However, Dröge admitted that the Greens would have liked the individual sectors to have even clearer responsibility.

Reduce CO2 emissions by 65 percent by 2030

By 2030, Germany must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65 percent compared to 1990. Emissions are expected to fall by 88 percent by 2040 and greenhouse gas neutrality should be achieved by 2045 – so no more greenhouse gases will be emitted or captured again.

With information from Dietrich Karl Mäurer, ARD capital studio.