Resistance against plans by the SPD-led environment ministry to instruct other ministries on emissions reduction and the Conservatives’ rejection of a price on carbon emissions are at the heart of the spat.
A dispute over what is meant to become its most important climate policy measure adds itself to the many internal woes of Germany’s government coalition, Michael Bauchmüller and Nico Fried write in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance and their centre-left coalition partner SPD are split over the basic design of the country’s planned Climate Action Law, whose timetable could now be at risk after a first presentation of the law was delayed due to conflicting views of the government parties. Environment minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) had hoped to present her first draft in February. Environment state secrety Jochen Flasbarth stressed in a Tweet on Friday, that the law would be passed as agreed in the coalition treaty.
Resistance against plans by the SPD-led environment ministry to instruct other ministries on emissions reduction and the conservatives’ rejection of a price on carbon emissions are at the heart of a spat that weighs on the progress of the national commissions on Germany’s coal exit and climate action in the transport and building sectors.