NGOs call for ambitious climate policy proposals ahead of government deadline
Clean Energy Wire
Several environmental NGOs have called on the German government to agree an ambitious package of climate measures, as ministries must hand in draft proposals before Friday.
The government must develop an “effective and socially just” programme with a focus on expanding renewable energies and speedy electrification in all sectors, said Tobias Pforte-von Randow, deputy managing director of umbrella group DNR. “Those who, like parts of the federal government, continue to subsidise fossil fuel companies, defend tax breaks for climate-damaging combustion engines, and at the same time neglect public transport are opposing the modernisation of this country,” he argued.
Activist group Environmental Action Germany (DUH) also highlighted transport as a key sector for further action. Minister Patrick Schnieder must propose measures to close the target gap, “including a speed limit, abolishing climate-damaging subsidies, and phasing out the combustion engine,” said managing director Jürgen Resch.
The government is legally required to present a programme of measures in all sectors to ensure that the national 2030 and 2040 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets are met. Germany is currently projected to fail its targets.
The responsible ministries must present initial drafts by today (25 September) as an intermediate step. The environment ministry told Clean Energy Wire that it would not comment before the end of the deadline at midnight. A spokesperson emphasised that the programme will be a joint effort by the whole government, which is set to include cross-sectoral measures that have to be coordinated between ministries.
The government must decide on the final programme by March 2026 at the latest, but environment minister Carsten Schneider aims to find an agreement before the end of the year.
If all goes according to schedule, the country’s Expert Council on Climate Change could assess the draft measures by the ministries later in autumn – as required by the climate law – before the government cabinet decides a final comprehensive programme.
