Minister puts pressure on reform
Wissing continues to see driving bans as a more adequate emergency solution
April 12, 2024, 11:10 p.m
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Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing is sticking to his initiative to achieve the sector targets for CO2 emissions in the transport sector for which he is responsible, if necessary using rabid means. A speed limit would not be nearly enough, says the FDP politician.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing is continuing to put pressure on the traffic light partners to quickly implement the planned reform of the Climate Protection Act. “This law is outdated, it urgently needs to go,” said the FDP politician on the ARD “Tagesthemen”. Wissing had caused an uproar with statements about driving bans on weekends or similarly drastic immediate measures that he would have to implement if the law was not changed in time. Wissing recently mentioned July 15th as the deadline for the entry into force in a letter.
The background is the so-called sector goals in climate protection agreed by the previous grand coalition, for example in the transport sector. The traffic light coalition wants to abolish these requirements for individual areas – it should be enough that the climate protection goals are met overall. However, negotiations on this reform are not making any progress in the traffic light coalition. So, as of now, the sector goals still apply.
Wissing: Sector goals require brutal measures
“These sector goals are of course not achievable in transport unless drastic measures are taken,” emphasized Wissing on ARD. In his view, a speed limit on motorways, which is advocated by many, would not help because it would not save enough greenhouse gases. “Then you would have the situation where you basically have to achieve the rest not with a two-day driving ban, but with a day and a half – that is not a solution.”
The Greens had accused Wissing of stoking unfounded fears among drivers, while the SPD spoke of “scaremongering”. Such maneuvers would hardly advance the ongoing discussions in the Bundestag about the new law. “Of course we don’t need driving bans,” said Dirk Messner, President of the Federal Environment Agency.