Clouds over Germany [image credit: tripsavvy.com]

What is this climate protection they speak of, apart from a figment of the imagination? As the reliability of their electricity system continues to degrade due to ever-increasing dependance on renewables, their climate superstitions are costing them dear.

The governing coalition parties in Germany have reportedly agreed to a deal to ensure the country meets its 2030 goals to combat climate change.

The government is set to unveil its climate package on September 20, says DW.com.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is set to unveil a package of measures on Friday, September 20, to ensure that the country cuts its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to the 1990 levels.

Days before the announcement, Germany’s governing coalition parties have reached an agreement on a climate package, which could cost at least €40 billion ($44.6 billion) until 2023, according to reports from German daily Welt am Sonntag and the Reuters news agency.

“Over €40 billion in just four years is a huge sum,” Welt am Sonntag quoted government officials as saying.

“We agree that something needs to be done, but it is still open which form this will take,” a person briefed on the talks told Reuters. “We still have not agreed on a price for a ton of C02.”

The coalition partners — including Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), their Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) sister party and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) — have long argued about how to finance Germany’s march toward a green future.

The CDU/CSU have been eager to ensure that the burden of financing the measures doesn’t hurt German businesses, while the SPD wants to protect small earners.

Environment and economy

Merkel’s government is under pressure to deliver a result that offers meaningful measures to protect the environment without damaging the economy.

Merkel touched on those dilemmas in her weekly podcast. “On the one hand, we want climate protection measures to be effective to meet our commitments,” she said. “On the other hand, we want to be economically sensible and act in a socially acceptable way so that all people can afford climate protection.”

Full report here.

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September 15, 2019 at 04:12AM