Agriculture ministry’s initial proposals to reach 2030 climate targets “too vague” – env. NGO

The agriculture ministry submitted its proposals to reach the sector’s 2030 climate target to the environment ministry in January, but critics lament the lack of conrete measures, writes Susanne Ehlerding in an article for Tagesspiegel Background. The programme is “too vague” and it remains unclear how exactly the targets will be reached, Silvia Bender, agriculture expert at NGO Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) told Tagesspiegel. Anton Hofreiter, head of the Greens in the federal parliament, said the proposals "consist of nebulous measures and wishful thinking". The agriculture ministry proposed measures such as increasing energy efficiency, moving ahead with the reform of the regulation of fertilisers, and expanding organic farming. Hofreiter said: "To reach the climate targets, the federal government must curb mass livestock farming, put an end to the back and forth regarding the fertiliser reform and push ahead with genuine moorland protection. [Agriculture minister] Julia Klöckner's plan does not include any of this."

Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government promised to ensure the country meets its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets by introducing a Climate Action Law in 2019. The government plans to compile a programme of measures to help each ministry reach their respective sectors’ targets. Ministries must present initial proposals to the environment ministry, which assesses how effective they will be. The agriculture ministry was the first to do so, and the environment ministry is currently reviewing the recommendations. The economy, construction and transport ministries have yet to submit their programmes.