Status: 11.10.2021 11:04 a.m.
They want German politicians to be more committed to the goals of the Paris climate protection agreement: several large German corporations are calling for an “implementation offensive for climate neutrality”.
At the beginning of the in-depth exploratory talks for a traffic light coalition, 69 large German corporations submitted an appeal to the possible new government. In it, companies such as the Otto Group, Aida and Deutsche Telekom demand a “clear, reliable and plannable path to climate neutrality”. In the first 100 days of its term of office, the new government is to launch an “implementation offensive for climate neutrality”.
The companies involved are of enormous importance for Germany as a business location: together they employ more than a million people in this country and over five million people worldwide. According to their own information, they generate global sales of around one trillion euros. They come from all relevant sectors and key industries of the economy, including the basic materials and chemical industry, machine and vehicle construction, the financial sector as well as large companies in the fields of buildings, mobility and trade. Now they are demanding a clear political timetable on how climate protection will be designed and promoted in the coming decades.
Entrepreneurs want clear guidelines
“Clear perspectives instead of cloudy visions – and now! A huge renovation needs a reliable framework. For example, for sufficient renewable energy at competitive costs,” demands co-signatory Kristian Evers, partner of the Varel paper and cardboard factory. Many companies have long recognized the urgency of the situation. Nevertheless, a political framework is needed so that “Germany’s transformation into a climate-neutral industrial country can be achieved by 2045 and the goal of reducing emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 is achieved,” says the letter, which was published by the “Stiftung 2 Degree “was initiated.
To this end, the companies involved have formulated six central demands on politicians. It is the task of a new government to strengthen the competitiveness of climate protection technologies and to initiate “a climate-friendly reform of the tax, levy and levy system”. This also includes creating more incentives for investing in new technologies. In the course of this, it is essential that the lengthy “planning and approval procedures” are revised.
Promote the expansion of renewable energies
In addition, the signatories expect a faster expansion of renewable energies and increased energy efficiency: “By 2030, at least 70 percent of the increasing German electricity consumption must be covered by renewable energies.” For this, the capacities of wind and solar energy must be significantly expanded, the necessary power grids and climate-friendly industrial plants need to be expanded. That is why the entrepreneurs are calling for the exit from coal-fired power generation “well before 2038”.
Since the German state is the largest client in the country with an investment volume of “500 billion euros”, the undersigned believe that it has a special role to play: “Public funds must be used more in order to mobilize private capital for investments in climate-neutral future technologies.” The new government must ensure that “investments, projects and public procurement criteria are systematically geared towards climate protection, the circular economy and sustainability”.
Climate policy must become international
Above all, international cooperation in matters of climate protection is essential, emphasizes Raoul Roßmann, Managing Director of Dirk Rossmann GmbH: “Rossmann can only become climate-neutral if our suppliers follow suit. But that will only be possible if the national and international energy mix as such has been radically decarbonised. ”
The large corporations therefore expect Germany to become an international role model in matters of climate protection: The new government is obliged to use the climate conference in Glasgow in November and the G7 presidency in the coming year to “strengthen transatlantic cooperation and lay the foundations for a climate pioneer club to develop international standards for a Paris-compatible financial system and climate-neutral products “. “‘Make climate neutral’ should become the motto of the new legislative period. The new federal government must act courageously and decisively in terms of climate policy and can rely on the support of this broad corporate alliance,” says Sabine Nallinger, director of the 2 Grad Foundation.