Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Earlier coal phase-out
Traffic light parties are about to reach an agreement
The traffic light parties tick the controversial point: According to insiders, the date stands for an early coal exit. While there is now also a phasing out prospect for natural gas, the combustion engine is given more time. The final round could take place tomorrow.
The negotiations between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP to form the first traffic light coalition in the federal government are entering the home straight. The party leaders met in Berlin in the afternoon to clarify the last controversial details, as reported from negotiating circles. The possibly last round of the main negotiating group is planned for Wednesday. Then the contract could also be presented. SPD Vice Kevin Kühnert said in response to a question: “tomorrow”. The Green politician Stefan Gelbhaar restricted: “probably tomorrow”.
According to ntv information from negotiating circles, the three parties agreed to phase out coal by 2030. The date will be in the coalition agreement. The prerequisite is that security of supply is guaranteed and social hardship for employees has to be cushioned. The date 2030 was a request by the Greens and was particularly important to them. So far, the shutdown of the last coal pile is planned by 2038 at the latest.
Strong climate ministry planned
It also said that natural gas for electricity generation should be dispensed with by 2040 at the latest. This fuel will no longer be used in new buildings for the next few years. Natural gas heating would also have to be replaced by the mid-2030s. According to the information, the Greens can rely on a strong climate ministry to enforce this. The climate section of the environmental department is linked to core elements of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. These are primarily the energy and industry departments.
Accordingly, the Greens had less success in the transport sector with the demand for an end to combustion engines as early as 2030. Here it essentially remains with the formulations from the exploratory paper. This refers to the plans of the EU Commission that combustion engines will no longer be permitted from 2035.
Chancellor election on December 6th
The aim is to conclude the negotiations this week and to present the coalition agreement as well as the distribution of the ministries and their occupation. The agreement must then be approved by the committees. To this end, the SPD and FDP are planning party conferences on the first weekend in December, and the Greens are planning a member survey. It is planned that SPD candidate Olaf Scholz will be elected Chancellor in the Bundestag in the week of December 6th and that the new government will take up its work. “I hope that we will now see the new government and the new coalition agreement in the next few days,” said the Green industrial politician Dieter Janecek, who was involved in the negotiations in the innovation, research and development working group.
The industry association BDI again warned of specific climate targets for each year and for individual sectors. “This is a planned economy,” said BDI President Siegfried Russwurm. So-called sector and annual targets are too detailed.