Representatives of business, trade unions and politicians are calling for Germany’s climate neutrality target year to be postponed by five years. Instead of 2045, Germany should adopt the European target year of 2050, said, in particular, the head of the Union of Mining, Chemical and Energy Industries (IGBCE) Michael Vassiliadis and RWE CEO Markus Krebber. Peace on Sunday.
Krebber sees an opportunity to ease the burden on German industry by adjusting the target date. Germany’s previous special approach of wanting to become climate neutral five years earlier European Unionmakes the location more expensive without causing any additional climate impact, he said. Germany’s climate target must therefore be “harmonized with the European target,” the RWE boss demanded.
“We want less CO₂, not less industry”
In the position paper, the IGBCE also advocates adapting the European emissions trading reduction pathway to the EU’s 2050 climate target. This will give industry more time to reduce CO₂ emissions. Otherwise, the union warns of rising costs and competitive advantages.
The chair of the MIT medium-sized business association, the CDU, Gitta Konnemann spoke in favor of a more “realistic” schedule: “We want less CO₂, not less industry, so emissions trading must correspond to reality.”
European emissions trading is the EU’s central climate protection instrument on the path to climate neutrality. Companies must provide CO₂ emissions certificates that can be traded. As the number of certificates gradually decreases, their value increases – an incentive, especially for energy-intensive industries, to save greenhouse gases. The EU Commission wants to present proposals for emissions trading reform in July.
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