Climate protection and economic growth go hand in hand, but companies move too slow

The BDI study showing that climate protection and economic growth can go hand in hand should kill off the last arguments against ambitious climate protection, according to Greenpeace. “The economic association is right to call for planning security in energy and climate policy. Instead of a piecemeal approach without courage, the next government must table a clear plan as to how a modern and clean Germany can do without coal, oil, and gas step by step,” said Greenpeace climate expert Andree Böhling. But he added the BDI should be more honest and admit that companies move too slowly without a policy push, such as a law sealing the coal exit.

Germany’s Chemical Industry Association (VCI) said the BDI study showed that cutting emissions by 80 percent by 2050 was technologically feasible, but a “herculean task.” VCI President Kurt Bock said the necessary total investment of 1,500 billion euros by 2050 was not possible without massive political support. He added that the chemical industry supported ambitious and global action on climate protection and already cooperated by embracing innovative products and technologies, as well as efficient production processes.

The environmental and development umbrella NGO DNR said that the BDI “visibly tries to adopt a less climate-hostile position.” DNR President Kai Niebert welcomed several of the study’s provisions, such as the call for faster rail transport expansion, but said that elsewhere one could still “clearly see the handwriting of the old fossil [industry’s] lack of courage”.

Find the VCI press release in German here, the DNR release here, and the BDI study in German here.