Climate Protection Law draft by year's end / VW mulls plant conversion
威力彩玩法
The German government will stick to its plan to introduce a Climate Protection Law in 2019 despite聽major internal difficulties聽harrowing the coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democrats (SPD). A first draft of the law will still be compiled in 2018, a spokesperson of Germany鈥檚 environment ministry (BMU) told the 威力彩玩法. The government cabinet plans to decide the law, which aims to make sectoral emissions targets in line with the Paris Climate Agreement binding, 鈥渂efore Easter鈥� on 21 April, he added. It wants the parliament to pass the law before the end of 2019. Patrick Graichen, of energy policy think tank Agora Energiewende*,聽said the roadmap for the law largely corresponds with the government鈥檚 plan outlined in the聽coalition treaty. 鈥淗owever, I鈥檓 not sure if this coalition still has the strength to implement it,鈥� Graichen told the 威力彩玩法.
German environment minister Svenja Schulze聽had said聽all ministries must come up with a plan to help achieve the country鈥檚 2030 climate goals and that she would 鈥渘o longer accept inadequate measures that clearly undermine the targets鈥�.
See the 威力彩玩法 articles聽Germany headed for largest emissions drop since 2009 recession听补苍诲听German parties fiercely debate IPCC鈥檚 1.5掳 report in parliament,聽as well as the 威力彩玩法 factsheets聽Germany鈥檚 Climate Action Plan 2050听补苍诲听From ideas to laws 鈥� how Energiewende policy is shaped聽for background.
*Like the 威力彩玩法,聽Agora Energiewende聽is funded by Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation.
威力彩玩法
The German government cabinet has decided a collection of energy law amendments, which include the introduction of additional renewables auctions in 2019-2021, the economy ministry (BMWi) said in a press release. The press release 鈥� while not giving many details 鈥� largely confirms聽last weeks鈥� agreement聽between Chancellor Angela Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU/CSU alliance and its Social Democrat (SPD) partners. According to the release, the draft law also includes provisions on modernising combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plants and a聽cut of support payments聽for large roof-mounted photovoltaic arrays ranging in size from 40 to 750 kilowatts. The reform sets the course for a secure and affordable Energiewende, said economy minister Peter Altmaier. 鈥淥nly with an affordable and secure energy supply can we continue to bank on broad public support for the energy transition,鈥� he said.
Find the press release in German and the draft in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 news item聽Government coalition reaches deal to boost renewable energy capacity.
Handelsblatt / Reuters
Carmaker VW will consider plans to convert its factories in Emden and Hanover to build electric cars at a strategy review on November 16, report Stefan Menzel and Martin Murphy in business daily Handelsblatt. The company鈥檚 plant in Emden near the North Sea could become VW鈥檚 second location dedicated exclusively to electric mobility, and insiders told Handelsblatt there are discussions to use wind power in order to make production climate-neutral, and to add battery cell production as well. VW declined to comment.
Read a Reuters report on the Handelsblatt article in English聽.
For background, read the factsheet聽聽Dieselgate forces VW to embrace green mobility聽and the dossier聽BMW, Daimler, and VW vow to fight in green transport revolution.
Welt Online
German carmakers are ill-prepared for the shift to electric mobility, according to Karl-Thomas Neumann, former head of German carmaker Opel, which used to be a GM subsidiary and is now part of French PSA Group which also makes Citroen and Peugeot cars. Neumann said the companies should spin off e-mobility businesses into new brands because managers could not run old businesses efficiently while also focusing on new units effectively dedicated to destroying the old business. Neumann now works for Californian EV start-up Evelozcity.
Read the article in German聽.
For background, read the dossier聽BMW, Daimler, and VW vow to fight in green transport revolution.
Die Welt / Tagesspiegel Background
The focus on climate in Bavaria鈥檚 coalition treaty聽between conservative parties Christian Socialist Union (CSU) and Free Voters is a surprise, writes Peter Issig for the Die Welt. 鈥淪ome of it seems to have been copied directly from the Greens,鈥� writes Issig. Analyses of the recent election in Bavaria had revealed disappointment with the CSU鈥檚 environmental policies also among conservative voters. But the local Green Party said the agreement was mainly greenwashing, and that it will be decisive whether the climate targets will remain a 鈥渇ig leaf鈥� or whether they will be backed up by concrete measures.
Jakob Schlandt writes in Tagesspiegel Background that Bavaria鈥檚 aim to reduce聽greenhouse gas聽emissions to under two tonnes per citizen annually by 2050 was equivalent to a cut of 80 percent 鈥� the less ambitious end聽of Germany鈥檚 climate target range of 80-95 percent.
Read the article in German聽.
Find background in the article聽New Bavarian government coalition plans state climate protection law聽and the factsheet聽Facts on the German state elections in Bavaria.
