“Less hassle needed”
Association of cities warns of heat transition failure
05/28/2023 03:48 am
The Association of Towns and Municipalities considers it urgently necessary that Habeck wants to revise its heating law. There is still a lot to do, especially with the municipal heating networks. All in all, one would like the government to be less hectic and more realistic.
The German Association of Towns and Municipalities has warned of the failure of the energy and heat transition. Politicians must act less hectic and more realistic, especially when it comes to the heat transition, said managing director Gerd Landsberg to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “The planned building energy law is well intentioned, but badly done,” he continued. People fear for their property, feel pressured and fear that they will not be able to finance the required changes. “Instead of climate desire, climate frustration arises – and with it the risk of losing the necessary acceptance of the population.”
Landsberg demanded that the possible services of municipalities with their 180,000 buildings – such as schools, daycare centers, sports halls and town halls – be given more weight in the heat transition. “More than 165,000 properties are currently still heated with gas or oil,” he said. “Anyone who starts here can achieve a lot for the climate in a short time.” Landsberg described the fact that Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck was now willing to compromise on the heating law as a good sign. However, there is no way around a fundamental revision.
“Municipal heat planning huge opportunity”
Municipal heating planning with district and local heating networks is a huge opportunity to promote climate protection and not to overwhelm people, said Landsberg. “This project – operated with a sense of reality, specifically funded and coordinated with the municipalities – could be the big hit in the heat transition,” he added.
After a heated argument in the traffic light coalition, the Green politician Habeck had promised to revise the plans for a switch to heating with renewable energies at some points. “I want to make the law better,” he said. Accordingly, a meeting with Habeck is planned for next Tuesday with members of the SPD, Greens and FDP parliamentary groups.
The previous legislative plans aim to ensure that from next year every newly installed heating system must be operated with at least 65 percent green energy. Alternatively, you can also switch to climate-neutral heat from a heating network.