The German government announced on Wednesday 5 May its intention to raise its targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, after the resounding censorship of part of its “climate law”, deemed too unambitious by the Constitutional Court.
Berlin now intends to reduce its emissions by 65% by 2030 compared to 1990, against 55% previously, then 88% by 2040, with the desire to achieve carbon neutrality “In 2045”, five years earlier than expected, said Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz. These goals are “Really ambitious” and “Achievable”, assured his environmental counterpart, Svenja Schulze, at a press conference.
A bill will be tabled ” next week “ in the Council of Ministers, specified these two officials of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who govern with the conservatives of Angela Merkel.
“We must do even more”
The German government had indicated that it wanted to react quickly after the landmark judgment of the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, which partially rejected, at the end of April, the government’s previous climate objectives, adopted in December 2019.
“It’s a new legal perspective that could have many consequences” and who has “That we must do even more” for the younger generations, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday during an exchange with Dutch students by video.
The judges, approached by four environmental associations, had considered that the legislation was “Not in accordance with fundamental rights” of the younger generations. According to them, Berlin had not planned “Sufficient requirements for the subsequent reduction of emissions from the year 2031”. Angela Merkel conceded that “Young people remind us that we are too slow”.
The environment has become central in the public debate
The environmental question has become central in the German public debate in recent years, following the numerous demonstrations of young people carried by the Fridays for Future movement.
Environmentalists are also on the rise in the polls for the legislative elections of September 26, several recent surveys giving them the lead in this election which must designate a successor to Angela Merkel.
Environmentalists are boosted by the recent appointment of their candidate, Annalena Baerbock, a 40-year-old lawyer, more popular than the Conservatives’ candidate for chancellery, Armin Laschet.