Germany has set ambitious climate goals, but failed to introduce right instruments to reach these – opinion

Germany and other industrial nations have in the past set ambitious climate targets, but failed to decide and introduce concrete instruments and measures to reach these, writes Klaus Stratmann in an opinion piece for German business daily Handelsblatt. “In Germany, various federal governments have pursued climate protection policies in recent years only on a selective basis at most,” writes Stratmann. Renewables expansion was a focus, while transport and buildings “have come as far away today as if the issue of climate protection did not exist at all.” According to Stratmann, there is no panacea to solve the problems, but at least there are promising solutions. “CO₂ pricing, for example, which also covers sectors that are not subject to [EU] emissions trading, is an interesting approach,” he writes and adds that social disadvantages for the population, as well as competitive disadvantages for industry would have to be compensated.

Find the opinion piece in German here.

For background, read the CLEW article German env minister plans CO₂ price concept to boost climate action, and the factsheet Germany’s Climate Action Plan 2050.