Expert council declares climate goals unattainable – if nothing happens

From the perspective of experts, Germany is not on course at its climate goals for 2030. In addition, the topic of funding is not socially justice. This increases the pressure to act for the next federal government – which should be completely reorganized when it comes to climate protection from the perspective of the “Expert Council for Climate issues”.

The expert council is an independent five -member body that checks the effectiveness of German climate protection policy and provides politics. His tasks are legally stipulated.

Germany has improved. This is due to CO2 reductions, especially in energy and industry. This has to do with the expansion of renewable energies from wind and sun, but also with production declines in industry because of the weakness.

According to the Council, however, it seems questionable that the climate target for 2030 is reached “without significant adjustments”. Until then, the emissions of greenhouse gases are expected to drop by 65 percent compared to 1990. Oil and gas heaters are further installed in the buildings. In addition, many new cars are also approved, which can be traveling on German roads for a long time with petrol or diesel. There are progress thanks to many new wind turbines and solar systems in the energy sector.

How effective and how expensive the climate protection efforts are depends on the respective instrument. Some took a closer look at the experts.

The cost of heating and refueling with fossil fuels will continue to increase with the CO2 prize. But people with little money in particular cannot simply buy an electric car or buy a heat pump – even if there is state funding – which has now expired at the e -car. The expert council states almost exclusively from funding measures. This must change for the acceptance of the measures-for example, by redesigning support programs, the public infrastructure becomes more climate-friendly or even through government compensation payments such as the climate field that the traffic light coalition actually wanted to get on the way.

For the climate -friendly renovation of business and society, studies that the Expert Council has evaluated see an investment requirement of 135 to 255 billion euros per year – a huge sum. It corresponds to 3.2 to 6 percent of German gross domestic product (GDP), i.e. economic output. But a considerable part would therefore be issued in the event of modernizations anyway, the council said. Since the private sector is also investing, the state will probably remain a funding gap in the scope of a medium to double -digit billion dollar amount per year.

That is a problem. Finally, there is also a discussion about higher defense spending, dilapidated schools, crumbling bridges, gaps in the social systems, not to mention the costs that will trigger global warming. The state has to set priorities, the council writes. He had to decide whether he does more legal requirements that do not cost him, but the citizens – or money is in funding measures. But then they should also be efficient. The federal government should plan the necessary financial needs in good time.

The Federal Government has to think more about the effects of climate protection on other areas such as economy, environment or social policy. There could be conflicts of goals here. This must clearly name politics – otherwise the acceptance of climate protection is at stake.

From the perspective of the Council, the fact that a single ministry – currently the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection – is responsible for the topic has not proven itself. Because the responsibility for climate protection in traffic, for example, lies further with the responsible ministry. Therefore, the Council suggests that the Chancellery should coordinate the measures of the ministries more. For the topic, particularly important ministers could regularly meet as a “climate cabinet”. In addition, formats would have to be found for a social discussion and participation.

In general, German politics has so far only tried to replace climate -damaging fossil fuels with other energy sources, according to the expert council. But how many experts does he doubt that Germany creates the swivel for more climate -friendly business without structural change. The production of many raw materials is likely to be cheaper in countries with a lot of renewable energies, for example because they are more sun -rich. Instead of importing hydrogen on a large scale, German companies would then concentrate on the further processing of raw materials. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) pursues a different policy, he wants to hold existing industrial workplaces with state support in Germany.