Merkel summons transport commission leaders to ensure progress on climate goals
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung / Handelsblatt
Germany鈥檚 Chancellor Angela Merkel summoned the leaders of the country鈥檚 transport commission and several cabinet members to make sure the body tasked with making proposals for bringing down emissions in the sector stays on schedule and delivers its report by the end of March, Markus Balser in the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. According to the transport ministry, the report will be tabled on 29 March and is not going to be postponed. A postponement was briefly suggested after a leaked draft caused an outcry by transport minister Andreas Scheuer and parts of the media over suggestions such as introducing a speed limit on the German Autobahn and increasing fuel prices.
Party leaders Andrea Nahles, of the Social Democrats (SPD), and Markus S枚der, of the conservative CSU, both newspaper Handelsblatt they expect the commission will make a clear commitment to preserving Germany鈥檚 status as a leading carmaker nation. 鈥淲e have to challenge the car companies 鈥� but we must not overstrain them,鈥� Nahles said. S枚der called for supporting all kinds of alternative fuels, a 鈥�national battery centre鈥� and 鈥渕odel cities鈥� for autonomous driving. According to Handelsblatt, the commission is likely to call for up to 200 billion euros for subsidies for e-cars and investments in more climate-friendly public and individual transport options.
The transport commission鈥檚 results are supposed to be incorporated in a set of measures linked to Germany鈥檚 planned Climate Action Law, which is slated for introduction still in 2019. Like the ministries for all other climate-relevant sectors, the transport ministry is tasked with making suggestions how it intends to contribute to fulfilling the country鈥檚 emissions reduction obligations.
