Traffic light parties reach agreement after a long coalition committee

After three days of negotiations, the leaders of the SPD, Greens and FDP have reached an agreement on several controversial issues. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil spoke on Tuesday evening in Berlin after deliberations by the coalition committee of a “bundle of measures” related to faster infrastructure expansion, adjustments to the climate protection law and the conversion of heating systems. Klingbeil, Green Party leader Ricarda Lang and FDP leader Christian Lindner expressed their satisfaction with the results.

Klingbeil said the plan was to “massively accelerate” the planning and approval process. The Climate Protection Act should be made more efficient in order to make it easier for Germany to become climate-neutral by 2045. Social justice should be ensured in the “heat transition” with the conversion of heating systems.

The traffic light results in a brief overview

Traffic light coalition wants to significantly accelerate infrastructure projects…

The traffic light coalition wants to significantly accelerate rail and road infrastructure projects. According to the results of the coalition committee, the central component of a modern and efficient infrastructure is the expansion and modernization of the rail network. Planning, approval and implementation should be significantly accelerated for this.

The coalition has agreed to invest significantly more money in rail than in road and to place a stronger focus on road maintenance and rehabilitation, with a particular focus on engineering structures.

For federal trunk roads, it is planned that existing dilapidated bridges can be renovated or replaced much more quickly and easily than before. There are also hotspots and bottlenecks in the network of federal trunk roads, which severely impede the flow of traffic. “Therefore, the federal government will stipulate the outstanding public interest for a narrowly limited number of particularly important projects and sub-projects to eliminate bottlenecks.” This means, for example, fewer environmental tests.

…and become more flexible when it comes to climate protection

In addition, the SPD, Greens and FDP want to allow more flexibility in achieving the German climate goals, as can be seen from the decision paper.

So far, the annual emissions of greenhouse gases have been collected for economic sectors such as energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, waste management and others. If an area (sector) exceeds the annual quantities that are compatible with the German climate targets, the responsible federal ministries must draw up so-called immediate programs for more climate protection.

The traffic light coalition wants to stick to this annual survey of greenhouse gas emissions for each sector. In the future, however, the federal government should only make adjustments if the data indicate that the climate targets for 2030 will not be met for two consecutive years – for all sectors together.

By 2030, Germany wants to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 65 percent compared to 1990. “All federal ministries responsible for the sectors, especially those in whose area of ​​responsibility lie the sectors that caused the failure to meet the target, must contribute to the reduction measures,” says the agreement paper. “The sector targets remain as a principle of the climate protection law. But it will be easier to help each other,” said Green leader Lang.

Germany wants to be climate-neutral by 2045, i.e. not emitting more greenhouse gases than can be stored again. According to the paper, the separation and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) will play a role in this. “The federal government will set a target for negative emissions for the years 2035, 2040 and 2045.” That should happen for the first time in 2024.

Plumbing replacement plans still in progress

The traffic light coalition wants to tackle the installation of more climate-friendly heating systems. The building energy law should be reformed accordingly, said the Greens boss Lang. There should be a social balance. “One can say: No one is left in the lurch.” SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also emphasized the importance of social justice on this point.

According to the resolution, the cabinet intends to pass the corresponding draft law in April. FDP leader Lindner said the proposals should now be “finalized”. Money should come from the climate and transformation fund. The principle of “technology freedom” should apply and heaters should also be able to be used with green and blue hydrogen or biomass, for example.

Heating with fossil fuels should continue to be operated if they could be used with climate-friendly gases in the future. The whole thing is still in the works, said Lindner. There will be no replacement obligation for existing heaters, only for newly installed heaters. “And for certain age and income groups, we will automatically ensure that the requirements are not onerous or binding.”

A year ago, the coalition had actually agreed that from January 1, 2024, every newly installed heating system should be operated with 65 percent renewable energy. There was heated discussion about a first draft law on this from the Economics and Building Ministries, which became known at the end of February.

“It was worth it,” says Chancellor Scholz

Chancellor Olaf Scholz was satisfied with the results of the three-day coalition talks. “After many hours of intensive discussions, I can say: It was worth it,” wrote the SPD politician on Twitter. “The modernization of our country brings growth opportunities that have not existed for a long time. This is how we create digitization and stop man-made climate change.”

At the joint press conference of the Ampel party leaders, SPD leader Klingbeil was “very satisfied” with the results. These showed “that we as a coalition are taking big steps towards the future and strength of Germany”. FDP leader Lindner said: “We have made real breakthroughs, real paradigm shifts, and that’s why the result speaks for itself.” Green Party leader Lang emphasized: “We are now finally tackling structural reforms.”