威力彩玩法

Climate, energy and transport in Germany's coalition treaty

Concluding weeks of intensive negotiations, Germany's would-be government partners have agreed on a coalition treaty. The 威力彩玩法 presents excerpts on climate, energy and transport from the agreement between Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). [Updates final version of coalition agreement from 7 February]

The conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the SPD have governed Germany since 2013. Source:威力彩玩法

Find the coalition treaty in German听.

[For first reactions from NGOs, business associations, and the media, see our article听Reactions to Germany's government coalition treaty.]

Climate Protection

Emissions

  • Commit to 鈥渘ational, European, and听Paris Climate Agreement climate protection goals for 2020, 2030, and 2050 for all sectors鈥
  • Work towards becoming largely greenhouse gas neutral 鈥渘o later than in the second half of the century鈥
  • Fully implement the听Climate Action Programme 2020,听as well as the听Climate Action Plan 2050
  • National target of reducing emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels watered down to lowering emissions 鈥渁s much as possible鈥/"as fast as possible"; internationally binding 2030 target of reducing emissions by 55 percent to be reached 鈥渂y all means鈥
  • Introduce law in 2019 to ensure that the 2030 sectoral climate targets are reached

Coal exit

  • Establish a special commission on 鈥済rowth, structural economic change and employment鈥, bringing together policymakers, industry representatives, environmental organisations, and labour unions, to draft an action programme by the end of 2018, which should include:
    • measures to close the gap to the 2020 goal 鈥渁s much as possible,鈥 and to make the 2030 energy sector goal 鈥渞eliably achievable鈥
    • a plan 鈥渇or the gradual reduction and phase-out of coal-fired power production, including an end date, and the necessary accompanying legal, economic, social, and structural policy measures"
    • financial support for the necessary structural changes in affected regions, and a fund financed through the federal budget
  • The commission鈥檚 findings will feed into the law on climate protection
  • At the same time, a similar process is planned for the transport and buildings sector

CO2听price/ETS

  • Strengthen the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) as the 鈥渓eading principle鈥 for CO2听pricing. "Our goal is a CO2 pricing system that aims at being effective globally, but at least encompasses the G20 states.鈥

Climate finance

  • 鈥淎cknowledge Germany鈥檚 responsibility for international climate protection,鈥 and increase official development aid contributions to assist other states

Other

  • Continue 鈥漜lose cooperation鈥 with France in implementing the听Paris Climate Agreement听and the commitments made at the 2017 'One Planet Summit'听
  • Establish a 'support programme for decarbonisation' for the industry to secure Germany鈥檚 position as an industrial location, strengthen the international competitiveness of German companies, and create future-proof jobs in Germany. "To reach the ambitious environmental and climate protection policy targets, we need modern products and processes."

Energy

Industry / Business

  • 鈥淕uarantee the international competitiveness鈥 of energy-intensive industries to maintain 鈥渋ntegrated value chains鈥 and prevent carbon leakage
  • Take advantage of 鈥淕ermany鈥檚 leading position in the energy transition鈥 to bolster the international competitiveness of German companies
  • Develop bilateral energy partnerships 鈥渨ith the aim of facilitating market access for German industry and advancing the global energy transition鈥
  • Align energy research more with energy transition
  • Provide R&D funding for low-carbon industry processes and the circular CO2听economy

Renewables

  • Continue with the 鈥済oal-oriented and efficient expansion of renewable energy sources that is synchronised with grid capacity and increasingly geared towards market mechanisms鈥
  • 鈥淪trive to achieve a share of 65 percent renewables by 2030鈥 [if this refers to the commonly used definition of 鈥渟hare of power consumption,鈥 it would bring forward听the current 2040 target听by ten years]
  • 鈥淪ubstantially increase鈥 renewables expansion to cover additional power demand in the transport, construction, and industry sectors
  • Implement 鈥渟pecial auctions鈥 to save up to ten million tonnes of CO2听by 2020: 4GW听onshore wind听power, 4GW solar power, as well as 鈥渙ne offshore wind power contribution鈥 in 2018 and 2019, 鈥減rovided that the听grid鈥檚 carrying capacity听is sufficient鈥
  • Create an听offshore wind听power 鈥渢est field鈥 to conduct research on potential for energy transition
  • Improve the 鈥渂alance of interests鈥 between the renewable energy industry, environmental protection, and the local residents in听onshore wind听power expansion
  • Create better opportunities for municipalities and citizens to participate in the construction and operation of renewable energy installations
  • only projects that have been greenlit under immission protection regulation will be able to take part in the renewables auctions

Grid

  • Compile an 鈥渁mbitious plan containing measures to optimise existing grid infrastructure and accelerate expansion鈥
  • Use digitalisation and other technologies, and improve cooperation between grid operators in order to make better use of the existing grids
  • Encourage the acceptance of grid expansion and accelerate construction by installing underground cables 鈥渁t sensitive locations, if technically feasible鈥
  • Introduce annual 鈥渟tress tests鈥 of the grid by 2019 to identify bottlenecks
  • Examine the possibility of offering a financial stake to affected land owners in profits from grid expansion; "recurring payments may be an option"

Efficiency

  • Develop an 鈥渁mbitious and cross-sectoral听energy efficiency strategy鈥 with the aim of reducing energy consumption by 50 percent by 2050
  • Stabilise financial support for efficiency measures at current level 听
  • Continue to promote听energy efficiency听and the use of renewable energies in the buildings sector. "Here, we continue to apply the principles of profitability, technology-neutrality, simpleness, and voluntary participation."
  • Introduce tax privileges for the energy efficient retrofitting of buildings

Costs

  • Reform听grid fees听to allocate costs based on a 鈥渃ausative principle鈥
  • Monitor affordability and security of energy supply on a regular basis

Storage

  • Encourage private investment in听storage听technology by gearing renewable energy sources more towards market principles
  • Facilitate the electrification of the heating, mobility, and electricity sectors (sector coupling) in combination with听storage听technology
  • Establish a Fraunhofer research institute for听storage听technology
  • Assess if the premises of power plants that are no longer needed can be used as large thermal听storage听plants

Gas

  • Make Germany a location for liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure

Nuclear power

  • "We do not want EU support for new nuclear power plants. We want to end all state fund stakes in nuclear power plants abroad."
  • "We are committed to the 2031 deadline for finding a final repository."

Mobility

Mobility and environment

  • Appoint a commission including actors from politics, business, environmental associations, unions, as well as the affected states and regions to work out a strategy by early 2019 on the 鈥渇uture of affordable and sustainable transport,鈥 including a reliable timeframe
  • In the field of transport policy, honour the commitments to the听Paris Climate Agreement听and to听Germany鈥檚 Climate Action Plan 2050. 鈥淲e want to reach the Paris climate targets, while also taking social considerations into account, safeguarding industry鈥檚 competitiveness, and securing affordable mobility.鈥
  • The above task will require 鈥渟upport for electric mobility, public and rail transport, and more efficient and cleaner combustion engines, including retrofitting, and the continuation of funds from the听diesel summit.
  • Increase efforts to improve air quality in inner cities. 鈥淲e want to avoid driving bans and increase air quality.鈥 Use the 鈥淪ustainable Mobility for the City鈥 fund to support mobility plans aimed at reducing pollution
  • Reduce pollutant emissions from road transport at their source. 鈥淭his includes 鈥 if technically possible and economically justifiable 鈥 technical improvements of vehicles in the existing fleet.鈥 A decision on steps to further reduce NOx听emissions 鈥 鈥渋ncluding technical retrofitting鈥 鈥 will be taken in 2018 鈥渙n the basis of the results of current research on hardware retrofitting options by the 鈥楾echnical Retrofitting鈥 working group and the other 鈥榙iesel summit鈥 decisions, as well as based on consideration of all legal questions regarding registration, guarantees, and the bearing of costs, cognisant of the relevant court decisions and the decisions on the European level.鈥
  • Establish a monitoring and sanctions system for carmakers to ensure that the vehicles in circulation today comply with emission limit values. 鈥淲e will promote the establishment of a German Institute for Consumption and Emission Measurement (DIVEM).鈥
  • Change the regulatory framework to enable states, cities, and municipalities to introduce binding requirements and emission limits for commercial passenger transport (buses, taxis, rental cars, car-sharing vehicles, courier/parcel services)
  • Introduce a reduced tax rate for company e-cars and hybrids (0.5 percent of domestic list price)
  • Make the switch to low-emission vehicles easier for taxis and light commercial carrier services 鈥 not preferring any one technology and within the bounds of the current budget plans 鈥 by increasing the buyer鈥檚 premium for e-cars and introducing other support instruments
  • 鈥淲e want to significantly advance electric mobility (battery, hydrogen, and fuel cell) in Germany, extend the current support measures where necessary beyond 2020, and complement them. We will intensify the roll-out of a nationwide charging and refuelling infrastructure. The target is to make at least an additional 100,000 charging points available by 2020, of which at least a third should be fast charging stations (DC). In addition, we want to support the construction of private charging stations. [鈥 We will legally facilitate the installation of charging points for electric vehicles of tenants and apartment owners.鈥
  • Introduce a deduction regime for commercially used electric vehicles; extend support for the retrofitting or purchase of electric taxis, buses, trucks, and car-sharing
  • Transform the existing National Platform for Electric Mobility into a platform called 听鈥渇uture of mobility,鈥 which will deal with the development of the car industry. 鈥淏attery cell production is an important economic and industrial policy area for Germany and Europe. We will support industry in establishing the entire electric mobility value chain in Germany and Europe.鈥
  • Increase the profitability of electric buses by exempting them from the听EEG surcharge
  • Continue the 鈥淣ational Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology鈥; change regulation to enable the use of 鈥榞reen hydrogen鈥 and hydrogen from industrial processes as fuel or for the generation of conventional fuels (e.g. natural gas)

Rail transport

  • Electrify 70 percent of the country鈥檚 rail network by 2025
  • 鈥淔or us as owners of Deutsche Bahn AG, the focus is not on maximising profit, but on the appropriate maximisation of rail transport.鈥
  • 鈥淲e want public transport users to be able to ride throughout Germany and across transport associations with a single electronic ticket.鈥

Shipping

  • Maintain and strengthen national technology-neutral initiatives for alternative drives and energy sources in shipping and in ports (LNG, hydrogen/fuel cell, methanol,听e-mobility)
  • 鈥淚n ports, this includes decreasing the听EEG surcharge听and using energy efficient vehicles. We will supply shore power nationwide in German ports.鈥

Research and development

  • Federally supported mobility research will pay attention to the climate policy aspects in the future
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