Germany鈥檚 energy transition in the media on 24 Oct 2014
Spiegel Online
鈥淎greement at EU summit: Merkel鈥檚 rotten climate deal鈥�
The German government wanted ambitious climate targets but only partially succeeded in pushing them through, says Gregor Peter Schmitz in Spiegel Online. In particular, Schmitz highlights a provision in the agreement allowing member states to veto the European Commission's future decisions on climate issues. Chancellor Angela Merkel said听 no one 鈥渟hould be scared鈥� by this provision, but Schmitz says it could pose an ongoing threat to the implementation of climate and energy policy.
See the article in German .
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung, Online
鈥淓urope wants to become a little more environmentally friendly鈥�
Europe is playing a lead role on international climate protection, writes the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung Online, thanks to French and German negotiating skills. President Francois Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel fought for hours before reaching a compromise. However, environmentalists criticised the agreement on a 40 per cent reduction target for carbon emissions by 2030 as unambitious, saying that a 35 per cent reduction would be reached even without substantial further efforts, the paper reports.
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Wirtschaftswoche, Online
鈥淓urope makes wind鈥�
Some voices from German industry are warning against ambitious climate targets, saying that along with the cost of CO2 emission allowances under the EU鈥檚 emissions trading scheme, they could endanger competitiveness, writes Tim Rahmann in the Wirtschaftswoche. But Chancellor Angela Merkel reassured companies that because German CO2 reduction and renewables targets are 鈥渇ar more strict鈥�, Germany would be able to cope with the European regulations. Merkel has ensured that companies will continue to receive EU subsidies even if Germany exceeds the EU鈥檚 27 per cent renewables target, the paper reports
See the article in German .
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Dow Jones Newswires German
听鈥淏usinesses attack local government: Industry is leaving鈥�
Bavarian businesses have criticised the state鈥檚 energy policy and 鈥渋nadequate鈥� implementation of the 鈥淓nergiewende鈥�, the Dow Jones Newswire reports. The Bavarian chamber of industry and commerce said that 10 per cent of industrial companies in the state have transferred parts of their business abroad or lowered production. Another 13 per cent are set to follow suit.
The state premier of Bavaria and the German federal government disagree on the implementation of the energy transition, particularly on the need for additional power lines to transfer electricity from the north of Germany to Bavaria, where much nuclear and fossil capacity is set to be decommissioned, potentially leading to power shortages.
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淪tatement before empty chairs鈥�
Bavaria鈥檚 minister for economic affairs, Ilse Aigner, stressed in the state's parliament the need for a secure electricity supply and demanded answers from the federal government over how soon nuclear power stations set to be retired will be replaced, and how this transition will be paid for. Reporting for the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung, Frank M眉ller and Christian Sebald said that members of the opposition criticised Aigner for simply repeating what state premier Horst Seehofer has said repeatedly. Seehofer is a high-profile critic of federal implementation of the Energiewende.
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脛谤锄迟别产濒补迟迟
鈥�Environmental medicine: Impacts of the Energiewende鈥�
German doctors showed support the nuclear phase-out, highlighting the positive impact that the transition to renewable energies can have on human health, writes Frank Osterloh in the 脛谤锄迟别产濒补迟迟, the official paper of the German Medical Association. At a workshop, the German Medical Association (Bundes盲rztekammer) and other medical professionals were presented with findings on the health impacts of inhalable contaminants lingering in new airtight insulated houses, as well as the risks to drinking water posed by fracking.
See the article in German .
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ABC News Australia
鈥淕ermany鈥檚 renewable revolution鈥�
A TV report by Australia's ABC News compared employment opportunities created by Germany鈥檚 renewable energy sector to jobs lost in Australia, after it decided to wind down its renewable energy targets.
See the video .
