The Green Party's federal election programme
骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 Green Party is determined makes climate protection and 鈥渆cological modernisation鈥� the central issues of . Party frontrunners Katrin G枚ring-Eckardt and Cem 脰zdemir said that the Greens鈥� trademark policy areas will once again be at the core of its campaign.
Despite a recent slump in the polls in the run-up to the聽election in September, which is likely to be dominated by migration, social justice and security, the party executive committee is foregrounding ecological sustainability. 鈥淓cology is more than environmental protection,鈥� G枚ring-Eckardt said at a presentation of the party's programme, arguing that issues like migration, public health and job security were directly linked to the impact of human activity on the climate and natural resources.
鈥淧rosperity also concerns the question whether we drink clean water and breathe clean air,鈥� 脰zdemir added. The programme therefore focused on 鈥渕aking Germany an ecological frontrunner again鈥�, and advancing the energy transition in all sectors, he said.
Economic Policy
- The Greens aim for a "social-economic modernisation" that is going to be 鈥渄emanding for companies鈥� but also 鈥渙pen new possibilities through innovation.鈥� This means to "gear our economy, our transportation system, and our energy and food production towards a green economy and green technology."
- Companies ready to accept this challenge are said to receive all available assistance. On the other hand, the party was going to continue to confront 鈥渓obby groups and companies pursuing business interests without regard for the environment,鈥� it adds.
- An 鈥渆cologic financial reform鈥� is meant to reduce environmentally harmful subsidies, such as for 鈥渉eavy company cars, airplane fuels, and diesel鈥� by about 12 billion euros 鈥渋n a first step." This money should instead be used to support poorer households to optimise their energy and resource consumption.
- The Greens want to push German companies and municipalities to divest from fossil fuels. 鈥淐ompanies need to show the climate risks of their products in annual reports,鈥� the party says, calling for the introduction of 鈥渢ransparent certification鈥� of green investment options.
- Also changes for the public sector are included: The state needed to alter annual reporting to expand evaluation beyond GDP figures, integrating ecological and social indicators, the Greens say. 鈥淐riteria such as our ecological footprint, biodiversity, income distribution and an education index are more comprehensive and appropriate to gauge our prosperity.鈥�
Transport policy
- Acknowledging the car industry鈥檚 special importance for the country, the Greens say they are intent on ensuring "vehicle production that is fit for the future" in Germany. However, current German transportation policy is 鈥渓opsided in favour of the car,鈥� disregarding public transportation, long-distance trains and bicycles, they add.
- A 鈥淕reen MobilityPassport鈥� should connect 骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 130 regional transport associations and allow for nationwiede public transpor with one ticket. At the same time, "airlines should be taxed appropriately鈥� and route fees for trains lowered.
- Air pollution from particulate matter is 鈥渞esponsible for tens of thousands of deaths around the world,鈥� the programme says. The party therefore calls for the swift retrofitting of diesel cars equipped with聽software to cheat聽emissions tests, at the manufacturers' expense. It also endorses the introduction of a 鈥渂lue badge鈥� scheme that allows only low-emission cars access to inner cities.
- 鈥淔rom 2030 on, only emissions-free cars will leave assembly lines鈥� in Germany, the Greens say. 鈥淭he era of the fossil combustion engine is over.鈥� The shift to electric vehicles must be a key policy target, the Greens argue. They advocate a wave of transformation through subsidies that ensure the car industry in Germany is kept well and fit.
Climate policy
- The party intends to introduce a nationwide 鈥溾�� meant to outline in detail how Germany achieves an emissions reduction of at least 80 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels, thereby honouring the Paris Climate Agreement. The law is supposed to produce 鈥渂inding and projectable鈥� goals for all sectors.
- Acording to the Greens, a price tag for CO2-emissions is needed 鈥渢o tell the ecologic truth鈥�. The party wants to see a reform of the EU鈥檚 Emissions Trading System that 鈥減ermanently deletes excess certificates and puts an end to the practice of issuing certificates for free." Revenues generated from a fixed price on carbon emissions could fund climate protection measures in industrial processes and construction.
- 鈥淲ithout a quick coal exit, all of these efforts will be in vain,鈥� the draft continues. The Greens want to 鈥渋nitiate an irrevocable coal phase-out鈥� in the next legislative period, envisaging an end to coal-fired power production by 2030. The 20 dirtiest coal plants should be closed immediately, the party argues, with remaining facilities鈥� emissions capped in line with climate protection targets. A 鈥淐oal Exit Law鈥� would provide the legal basis for this, and halt the expansion of existing coal mines as well as the export of German coal mining technology. Job losses caused by the coal phase-out should be cushioned by a 鈥淪tructural Change Fund鈥�, it adds.
Energy policy
- 鈥淚t is possible to ensure mankind鈥檚 energy supply relying聽solely on sun, wind, water, sustainable bioenergy and thermal heat,鈥� the party says, arguing that 鈥渢his energy transition has been our aim since day one.鈥� The Greens want to achieve 鈥�100 percent green power by 2030鈥� by abolishing limits to renewables expansion.
- The Greens want to reform the Renewable Energy Act by substantially increasing expansion targets and 鈥渕inimise the current billion-euro power price rebates for industry鈥� unless companies are 鈥渁ctually exposed to international competition.鈥� Households should shoulder less of the burden and benefit from renewables expansion through schemes such as tenant electricity support.
- An 鈥淓nergy Saving Law鈥� is meant to specify how industry can exploit efficiency potentials. A programme dubbed 鈥淔air Heating鈥�, worth 2 billion euros, is to advance the energy-efficient retrofitting of building stock.
- Regardless of 骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 secured nuclear exit in 2022, the party intends to sustain its opposition to nuclear power production and extend it to the European level. German component suppliers for the nuclear sector should be closed and the decommissioning of old reactors in neighbouring countries more adamantly pursued within the EU.
