Greens criticize new climate protection law as completely inadequate – Bavaria

The Greens in the state parliament have criticized the planned reform of the Bavarian climate protection law as completely inadequate – and have accused the state government of years of delays. The law is non-binding, unambitious and irresponsible, said Greens parliamentary group leader Ludwig Hartmann before the amendment to the law is planned to be passed on Tuesday. When it comes to climate protection, Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) is “Bavaria’s top promise-breaker,” Hartmann criticized.

The Bavarian Ministry of the Environment dismissed the criticism as excessive. With the new Bavarian climate protection law, the climate protection program and the corresponding financial resources, Bavaria is reaffirming its commitment to sustainable climate protection. “All three building blocks interlock: law, measures and financing,” said a ministry spokesman on Sunday. Closely linked with the federal government and the EU, Bavaria is making its contribution to achieving the global 1.5-degree target.

With the so-called Climate Protection Act 2.0, a fundamental reorientation of climate policy in Bavaria is taking place. The draft stipulates, for example, the outstanding public interest in all renewable energies, which should enable a substantial expansion of renewables. In addition, the law also provides for an obligation for photovoltaic systems on certain roofs.

At its core, the amendment sticks to the goal of achieving climate neutrality in Bavaria by 2040. In addition, the new version focuses significantly more on the expansion of renewable energies. However, the concrete measures for more climate protection are not laid down in the law, but in an accompanying package of measures. Experts from business and science had criticized the revision of the law in an expert hearing at the end of September as insufficient.

“We will master climate change in Bavaria. With the new Climate Protection Act 2.0, the accompanying measures and an annual climate billion for financing, we are well positioned,” said Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr (free voters). The Greens have a completely different opinion: “The history of the Bavarian climate protection law is a farce,” said Hartmann. “Bigly announced in 2019. In 2020 it was praised with drums and trumpets as the best German climate protection law. In 2021 it backtracked after the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court and Söder’s announcement that a general renovation would now take place.” That alone speaks volumes. “If a house needs a general renovation after less than a year of existence – then the construction is a botch. More than a year later the new design is available – but it’s still crumbling in every nook and cranny,” says the accusation of the Greens. The state government did not remedy the poor structure of the law. “Climate protection in Bavaria is still without a strong foundation.”

Apart from a few changes, the law has hardly been revised, said Hartmann. Individual measures have even been canceled, such as the introduction of a solar cadastre. The climate protection law is “a patchwork of non-binding nature, vagueness and insubstantial declarations of intent”. With this law, there will be little progress in Bavaria on climate protection. The coalition rejected all green suggestions for improvement.

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