The Merkel government’s “climate” law deemed “insufficient” by the German Constitutional Court

The German Constitutional Court, Thursday, April 29, inflicted a snub on Angela Merkel’s government. It considers that the objectives of its “climate” law, institutionalizing future reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, were “Insufficient”.

The objectives of this law which set a reduction in emissions until 2030 “Do not comply with fundamental rights, insofar as there are not sufficient requirements for the subsequent reduction of emissions from the year 2031”, the country’s highest court, located in Karlsruhe, wrote in a statement.

Voted in December 2019 at the instigation of the coalition government between conservatives from Angela Merkel’s party and social democrats, this law imposes a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the level from 1990.

It sets, by sector, the volumes of annual emissions allowed, while determining the reduction trajectories applicable during this period.

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Fight global warming

Four complaints had been filed against him by environmental associations who believe that the objectives set in this law do not sufficiently combat global warming. They were based on the German constitution, in which it is now written that the government must work to fight climate change. This obligation was also reinforced after Germany signed the Paris climate agreement in 2016.

This sets targets for States so that the increase in the average temperature of the planet is contained well below 2 ° C compared to pre-industrial levels, and preferably below 1.5 ° C.

“The contested provisions infringe the freedoms of the applicants, some of whom are still very young. They irreversibly postpone considerable costs in terms of reducing emissions to the period after 2030 ”, tackle the judges of Karlsruhe.

They are now urging the legislator to improve this law by the end of 2022, in particular by further specifying its emission reduction targets for the period after 2030.

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The World with AFP