IPCC report alarms German env min / Hambach a "Fukushima for coal" ?
威力彩玩法
The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5掳C, , shows the urgent need for ambitious climate action, according to the German government. In a press release, environment minister Svenja Schulze said the key message of the report is that 鈥渨e must not waste any more time on climate protection鈥�.
Jochen Flasbarth, state secretary in the environment ministry, said at a press briefing in Berlin that the statement of the scientists that the 1.5 degree goal is achievable is a 鈥渃entral and positive message鈥�. However, the IPCC report contained 鈥渦nsettling depictions鈥� of the 鈥渉uge difference鈥� between worlds with a global warming of 1.5掳 and 2掳 Celsius. 鈥淚f one knows that at 1.5 degrees some hundred million people less are in poverty, this must be relevant for the decision-making,鈥� said Flasbarth. The IPCC report states that in order to reach the 1.5掳 Celsius goal, global net human-caused CO鈧� emissions must be reduced by 45 percent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. The environment ministry could not immediately say what this meant for Germany鈥檚 national target. The state secretary said he is sure that the messages of the 鈥渁larming report鈥� would be heard by the members of Germany鈥檚 coal exit commission, which is to decide a phase-out path by the end of 2018.
Hans-Otto P枚rtner, co-chair of the IPCC鈥檚 Working Group II, said the bottlenecks on climate do not lie on the physical-chemical or technological side. 鈥淲e need a charismatic political leadership that will offensively bring climate goals into society,鈥� said P枚rtner at the press briefing. 鈥淥ur current political leadership and statements in the political landscape tend to go in the other direction,鈥� said P枚rtner.
Find the BMU press release in German , and the report and summaries in English .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 dossier The energy transition and climate change and the Commission watch 鈥� Managing Germany鈥檚 coal phase-out.
Handelsblatt
The embattled Hambach Forest could turn out to become a symbol for Germany鈥檚 acclerated coal exit as much as the nuclear disaster in Fukushima became a symbol for the country鈥檚 accelerated nuclear exit, J眉rgen Flauger writes in a commentary for Handelsblatt. 鈥淭he political pressure to end lignite [brown coal] mining in the Rhineland and Lusatia and to give up coal-fired power production with hard and brown coal is enormous,鈥� Flauger says, adding that 鈥淗ambach could become a second Fukushima鈥� for energy companies like RWE. 鈥淛ust like after Fukushima, a decision based on consensus has become unlikely,鈥� he adds, saying that environmental organisations will now become even more adamant that coal-fired power production comes to an end in Germany soon. 鈥淭his is regrettable,鈥� Flauger says, arguing that a 鈥渟lam on the brakes鈥� is neither technically feasible for coal nor desirable as it will result in years of litigation over compensation claims by the energy companies.
Read the commentary in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article German court stops controversial clearing of forest for lignite mine.
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
Environment and climate policy 鈥�do not take place鈥� in Germany under the current grand coalition government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democrats (SPD), writes Michael Bauchm眉ller in an opinion piece in S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. 鈥淚n the CDU/CSU the economic wing has the say, in the SPD the union camp. The intersection of both is the opposite of environmental and climate protection.鈥� Merkel 鈥渓acks the strength to also fight for more climate protection鈥�, and her government has stepped on the brakes regarding European efforts for stricter targets on greenhouse gas emissions. Shortly after the US decided to leave the Paris Agreement, 鈥淓urope鈥檚 most important industrial country鈥� is now also missing as a driving force in international climate action, writes Bauchm眉ller. The grand coalition 鈥渉olds back progress away from coal, oil and gas. [鈥 Among the consequences, the collapse of Germany as a business location could be one of the more harmless鈥�.
Read the opinion piece in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article First 100 days - German government in disarray neglects energy policy and the dossier The energy transition and climate change.
Frankfurter Rundschau
Many companies in Germany have understood that a more sustainable way of making business will dominate the economy of the future, Green politician Julia Verlinden writes in a guest commentarty in the Frankfurter Rundschau. But some of the country鈥檚 largest companies would rather 鈥渢urn back time to the last millennium鈥� and continue to make huge profits on the expense of the environment and everyone else in society, she adds. 鈥淭heir arrogance is at least as repulsive as their ignorance,鈥� Verlinden says, arguing that big companies like carmaker VW or energy heavyweight RWE use their influence over jobs and tax returns to put pressure on politicians to do the companies鈥� bidding. Global warming or air pollution do not seem to play a role or lead to a change of attitude, which is 鈥渁n insult to customers鈥� and to future generations, Verlinden says, adding that 鈥渢he time for this sort of business philosophy is now over鈥� as many citizens no longer accepted this level of irresponsibility.
Read the commentary in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article German court stops controversial clearing of forest for lignite mine.
Renewable Energy Agency (AEE) / Kantar Emnid
The support of German citizens for the country鈥檚 Energiewende [energy transition] is unwavering, a poll commissioned by the country鈥檚 Renewable Energy Agency (AEE) and conducted by pollster Kantar Emnid has shown. According to the AEE, 93 percent of respondents said they are in favour of a faster expansion and greater use of renewable energy sources. Nearly two thirds of respondents said they support a greater renewables expansion even if this meant wind turbines or solar power arrays are built near their homes 鈥� with the figure rising even more if respondents already live near a renewable power installation. Nearly 80 percent said they believe a rapid grid expansion is necessary too, but less than one third answered they would welcome a large transmission line in their neighbourhood and 30 percent said they would not tolerate this. Most respondents said the reason they support the Energiewende is either climate protection (81 percent), inter-generational justice (79 percent), energy independence from fossil fuel imports (68 percent) or strengthening Germany鈥檚 economic power (59 percent). Over 60 percent answered they would welcome a more ambitious decarbonisation in the energy sector and nearly three quarters said they wish the transport sector did more to reduce carbon emissions.
Read the press release in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 factsheet Polls reveal citizens' support for Energiewende.
dpa
The planned Russian-German natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, currently under construction in the Baltic Sea, can contribute to German power supply security during the country鈥檚 coal exit, said coal commission co-head Ronald Pofalla during a speech at the Petersburg Dialogue, news agency dpa reports. "I think this project is right from the point of view of supply security," said Pofalla, a former top aide to chancellor Angela Merkel. Without a broad gas supply, a "necessary change in energy supply with the aim of CO鈧� reduction" could not be achieved, said Pofalla. The is a bilateral discussion forum with the aim to promote understanding between the civil societies of Germany and Russia.
Find the article (behind paywall) in German .
Find background in the 威力彩玩法 factsheet Gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 links Germany to Russia, but splits Europe.
