威力彩玩法

The parties in Germany鈥檚 federal parliament have clashed over the implications of the UN鈥檚 latest IPCC report on global warming. In a special session called for by the Green Party, members of parliament exchanged views on the report published on 8 October, which states that much greater international efforts are needed to keep global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, as envisaged in the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Green Party鈥檚 Oliver Krischer opened the debate by blaming the incumbent government under Chancellor Angela Merkel for talking a lot about climate action but delivering very little. 鈥淔or ten years, we鈥檝e had nothing but lip services and soap-box oratories,鈥� Krischer said.

The German government has faced harsh criticism over the past weeks for聽failing to solve key environmental issues, such as the diesel emissions scandal and resulting air pollution in several cities, and stepping on the brakes regarding key European climate policy, especially in the transport sector.聽

Krischer said the mass-protests at the Hambach Forest showed citizens' dissatisfaction with current policies. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the expansion of a coal mine by energy company RWE and the energy policy of the regional branch of Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU party. 鈥淭hree quarters of the people in Germany want a quick coal exit,鈥� Krischer said, adding that a 鈥渇ossil cartel鈥� in regional and federal parliaments was working against this "majority will."

Krischer鈥檚 fellow Green Party member Lisa Badum added that Hambach would be 鈥渁 tipping point鈥� in German society with a lasting effect. She added that 鈥渇ighting climate change and rightwing populism are the two great challenges of our time.鈥�

Conservatives say Greens happy to be in opposition, have no constructive solutions

MPs of Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU and its Bavarian sister party CSU countered the Greens were comfortable in opposition and failed to make constructive proposals. 鈥淭he Greens should not pretend that Germany alone can save the global climate and that we鈥檙e doing nothing to address climate change,鈥� said the environment spokeswoman of the CDU parliamentary group, Marie-Luise D枚tt.

She insisted that the German government did not fail on climate and that the Greens would 鈥渘ot care about鈥� the economy, costs and jobs when advocating more ambitious emissions reduction. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the difference between a single-topic ecology party and a party for everyone in society,鈥� D枚tt argued, adding that the Green鈥檚 support of 鈥渋llegal鈥� anti-coal activism in the Hambach Forest was 鈥渋nacceptable.鈥�

The Bavarian CSU鈥檚 climate policy spokeswoman, Anja Wei脽gerber, said the IPCC report also made clear that 鈥渨e can still meet the goal鈥� and that German inaction was 鈥渁 fairytale.鈥� She said the Greens should engage in 鈥渃onstructive debate鈥� and not revel in criticism. The Climate Action Plan 2050 and other policies initiated by the government were clear indicators that Germany is on track to meet its climate obligations, Wei脽gerber insisted.

for the Green Party in the important upcoming regional elections in the federal states Bavaria on 14 October and Hesse on 28 October, while the Conservatives have lost ground over the past months. [Read 威力彩玩法鈥檚 full preview of the elections in Bavaria here.]

Environment minister Schulze says Climate Protection Act will deliver changes needed

German environment minister Svenja Schulze of the CDU/CSU鈥檚 social-democratic coalition partner SPD said the IPCC report鈥檚 central message was not that things are going as planned, but rather 鈥測et another warning鈥� that 鈥渨e鈥檙e running out of time.鈥� Schulze said even if global warming could be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, there would be large-scale damage in Germany and elsewhere.

Schulze said she would 鈥渄o all I can鈥� to make sure Germany ends the use of coal, oil and gas as quickly as possible as 鈥渆very tonne CO2 saved counts.鈥� The minister said Germany鈥檚 Climate Protection Act, which she promised would be introduced in 2019, would lay the basis for 鈥渂inding targets鈥� that cover all sectors of the economy. She added that climate action was no obstacle to economic growth, but rather an economic opportunity.

Schulze鈥檚 party colleague Klaus Mindrup noted that Germany faced up to 60 billion euros in EU fines if it fails to deliver its emissions reduction contributions. 鈥淭his money could be spent much better elsewhere,鈥� he said, adding that Germany鈥檚 system of fees and levies had to be changed to cut CO2 emissions. Also, Germany had to ramp up the digitalisation of its energy system, build much more storage capacity and continue renewables expansion vigorously.

Lukas K枚hler of the pro-business FDP said the IPCC report made clear that mankind faces a 鈥渉istorically unprecedented crisis鈥� that required innovative solutions. 鈥淓missions limits so far did not achieve what they should,鈥� he said, arguing that more ambitious goals would therefore be an 鈥渁bsurd鈥� solution.

Speaking for the right-wing AfD, which says that climate change is a 鈥渉oax鈥� that Germany should not address at all, MP Karsten Hilse said climate action had become tantamount to a 鈥渞eligion鈥� for other parties. 鈥淭he renewables surcharge is its indulgence,鈥� Hilse said, adding that a coal exit and other energy transition projects would 鈥渂etray鈥� coal workers and "annihilate" Germany鈥檚 industrial competitiveness. Expanding renewables would destroy Germany鈥檚 natural environment and irritate people in other countries, he added.

Lorenz G枚sta-Beutin of the Left Party, on the other hand, thanked people protesting against coal in the Hambach Forest and elsewhere. 鈥淭he coming decade is the most important in human history,鈥� he said, arguing that the IPCC report showed 鈥渨e鈥檙e headed for a catastrophe鈥� if no radical changes are made. The Left Party MP stressed that Pope Francis backs ambitious climate action as well, 鈥渋f this of any interest to my Christian conservative colleagues in here.鈥�