Germany’s environment minister on Monday backed a European proposal to virtually eliminate man-made greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century, deepening divisions within the German government over how to tackle climate change.
French President Emmanuel Macron and eight either EU countries pitched the plan at a summit of European leaders last week, but Germany was a notable holdout.
“I don’t think this decision is final,” said Environment Minister Svenja Schulze of the center-left Social Democrats, the junior partners in Merkel’s government.
“I think we should talk about it again. Because I think it’s very sensible to stand alongside France and work to say at the EU-level that we want to implement Paris.”
The 2015 Paris climate accord, approved by almost all countries around the world, set a target of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial times.
Scientists say this is only possible if emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are drastically reduced in the coming decades.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a climate change meeting of 35 countries in Berlin, Schulze also favored the introduction of a carbon tax to discourage fossil fuel use.
The leader of Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union party, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has instead favored expanding an EU-wide carbon trading system.
A recent poll for public broadcaster ZDF found environment topped immigration as the issue Germans are most concerned about.
But the survey of 1,357 phone respondents, conducted May 7-9, also found 61 percent oppose a carbon tax on fossil fuels, even if other taxes are cut. Only 35 percent were in favor, according to the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen polling agency.
Despite its much-vaunted plan for an “energy transition” away from fossil fuels and nuclear energy to renewable power sources, Germany has struggled to lower its emissions in recent years, particularly in the area of transportation.
Germany is set to miss its reduction target for 2020 and under EU rules it could be forced to buy billions of euros (dollars) worth of carbon credits from other countries starting in 2021.
Read more at NY Post
Germany’s reluctance is to be expected. For years they have been the leader among industrial nations in measures to fight climate change. In this role, they have inflicted a lot of damage to the country and adversely impacted it citizens. After this experience, I can see why many in Germany are not anxious to implement additional hard ships.
The opposition to a fuel tax by a country where most citizens feel climate change is a very important issue tells us a lot. People give the issue lip service, but are not willing to put out the money. Yet, implementing programs that are costly to the average family is exactly what nations do.
Will these people ever be honest and stop trying to convince others [or stop believing] that “HUMANKIND” can control climate?