威力彩玩法

Germany鈥檚 transport ministry, which is under fire for its handling of the Dieselgate scandal and slow progress in cutting emissions in the transport sector, plans to raise the internal standing of climate protection by setting up a new department dedicated to the issue.

鈥淐limate protection plays a large role in transport policy,鈥� a ministry spokesperson told the 威力彩玩法, adding the new unit would serve to 鈥渟trengthen the topic and focus competencies in this area鈥� as a 鈥渃entral contact point for all climate-relevant questions.鈥�

鈥淔or example, this affects topics such as the mobility strategy, the e-car strategy, the fuel strategy, strengthening rail transport, supporting alternative propulsion technologies, and combining various modes of transport,鈥� the spokesperson said, confirming a S眉ddeutsche Zeitung report.

Germany's shift to renewable energy 颅鈥� dubbed the Energiewende 鈥� has made significant headway in the power sector, but there has been very slow progress in transport, where CO2 emissions have stayed essentially flat over the past 25 years (For background, read the 威力彩玩法 dossier The energy transition and Germany鈥檚 transport sector.)

Mobility experts believe the transport ministry is partly to blame for high transport emissions, because transport minister Alexander Dobrindt and his ministry have often put the brakes on climate initiatives. Recently, Dobrindt called a push by German federal states to end sales of conventional cars by 2030 鈥渢otally unrealistic鈥�, adding that the date was 鈥渟imply nonsense.鈥�

Does the ministry take climate seriously?

The German transport and environmental association Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), which promotes sustainable mobility, called the climate unit plans a surprise, given the ministry鈥檚 track record.

鈥淚f this is a sign that the transport ministry starts to take climate protection seriously, it would be a welcome development,鈥� Gerd Lottsiepen, the VCD鈥檚 transport policy spokesperson, told the 威力彩玩法.

But he also warned: 鈥淭he transport ministry has never been a pioneer when it comes to climate protection, but instead it has always dragged its foot. This is why I would recommend a healthy dose of scepticism. A new department alone does not imply a policy shift.鈥�

Lottsiepen added it was crucial that a prominent transport expert headed the new department. According to the ministry, decisions on personnel have not yet been made.

Dietmar Oeliger, head of transport policy at the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), which is one of Germany鈥檚 largest environmental organisations, also said the new department could signal 鈥渁 sign of good will鈥� to address the subject in earnest.

鈥淎fter the Paris Climate Agreement, even the transport ministry can no longer deny where we鈥檙e headed. It seems the ministry has understood it needs to work harder on the issue.鈥�

But Oeliger cautioned the new department will need to be judged by its deeds, rather than its name. He added that key discussions on new CO2 emission limits at EU level in the spring could already be the new unit鈥檚 litmus test: 鈥淚t will be exciting to see the ministry鈥檚 position in these talks.鈥�

In the past, the German transport ministry has intervened to avoid stricter EU emission limits at the behest of the car industry.