Warning of Driving Bans: Wissing Threatens Over Climate Law - Greenpeace Sees Political Certificate of Poverty

With a warning of possible weekend driving bans, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has stoked the traffic light coalition's dispute over the Climate Protection Act. The Greens reacted indignantly: "A minister should not stir up unfounded concerns among people," said deputy faction leader Julia Verlinden to the German Press Agency. "This claim is simply false." The environmental organization Greenpeace described Wissing's action as a political show of poverty. The FDP politician had warned of drastic cuts for drivers if the traffic light coalition did not quickly agree on a reform of the Climate Protection Act.

"The transport minister is shamelessly and transparently trying to convert the possible consequences of his own failure into political pressure," said Greenpeace mobility expert Clara Thompson to the dpa. "Wissing has wasted two years blocking every climate protection measure in road traffic - now he is painting horror scenarios to avoid having to do anything in the future."

"Hardly communicable measures"

According to Wissing's argument, in order to achieve so-called climate sector targets in transport under the current law, a significant reduction in car and truck mileage would be necessary. This would be "only possible through restrictive measures that are hardly communicable to the population, such as nationwide and indefinite driving bans on Saturdays and Sundays," he wrote in a letter to the traffic light faction leaders in the Bundestag.

"It would be hardly communicable to people that they can only use their cars on five weekdays, even though we are achieving the climate protection targets in the overall view," Wissing warns. The letter dated Thursday is available to the dpa, and "Bild" first reported on it.

Green faction vice Verlinden countered that the current law only requires Wissing to "present a climate protection program containing sensible proposals that lead to more climate protection in the transport sector." There are many different possibilities, "such as a speed limit." Wissing and the FDP are strictly opposed to a general speed limit on highways.

Sector targets controversial: Wissing wants to share responsibility

Wissing is putting pressure with the letter during ongoing negotiations between traffic light factions on a reform of the Climate Protection Act. The cabinet had decided on this last June; the first reading in the Bundestag was in September. According to reports, what is contentious is which responsibilities departments should still have in the future if targets for CO2 reduction are missed - as in the transport sector. The Climate Protection Act is also linked to a planned solar package.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck (Greens) said on Thursday evening at an event of the webinar format Europe Calling that the solar package has been negotiated. It is politically tied to the Climate Protection Act, "where there is still political need." He very much hopes that the solar package will now be passed quickly.

Unfavorable linkage with solar package

The German climate goals are bindingly regulated in the Climate Protection Act. It provides that emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases must be reduced by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. Allowable annual emission quantities have been set for individual sectors such as industry, energy, transport, and buildings. The core point is currently the following mechanism: If sectors miss targets, the responsible departments of the federal government must take immediate corrective action in the form of immediate programs to ensure compliance with the emission quantities.

According to the draft law of the federal government, compliance with climate targets in the future should no longer be controlled retrospectively according to the various sectors - but aimed at the future, multi-year, and cross-sector. The federal government as a whole should decide in the future in which sector and with which measures the allowable total CO2 amount by 2030 should be achieved - but only if the target is missed for two consecutive years. Specifications for emission reductions in individual specific sectors are to be abolished. The FDP, in particular, is pushing for a reform of the law, which is part of the coalition agreement.