With the ink barely dry on Germany’s Coal Commission report recommending a phase out by 2038, the oil and gas industry is breaking out the champagne. While environmentalists criticize the plan’s particulars, the other side is celebrating the slaying of their strongest competitor. And they’re translating that joy into furious lobbying aimed at ensuring that renewables don’t fill the majority of the void as coal plants are shuttered. L. Michael Buchsbaum explains.
All posts tagged: Christian Democratic Party of Germany (CDU)
Will Germany transform its coal fields into renewable energy sites?
Germany’s politicos close eyes to Energiewende’s popularity
Despite polls showing that Germans want more climate protection, Germany’s political parties, with one exception, shun the topic. Paul Hockenos argues that the standstill can’t go on if Germany expects to hit its climate targets.
Berlin divided over cars’ CO2 limits, hindering EU decision
As it decarbonizes its energy sector, Germany’s transportation emissions have remained stubbornly high, even increasing in the past two years. The car industry refuses to modernize even as electric vehicles gain popularity worldwide. Claire Stam of Euractiv takes a look.
Mixed Mandate: Germany’s new coal commission struggles to balance environment and jobs
Germany’s coal commission has been launched, with the goal of a gradual exit from coal. Politicans have admitted that coal-fired output needs to be halved before 2030 to meet climate targets – but have so far refused to set a date for a complete phaseout. Michael Buchsbaum takes an in-depth look.
German government rejects calls for additional carbon tax
Despite calls from French President Macron to implement additional carbon taxes, the German coalition government refuses to hold polluters accountable. “We say no to a price on CO2,” say CDU members, once again punting on climate change leadership. L. Michael Buchsbaum goes in-depth.
New Germany energy commitments take shape
On Friday, a 28-page text covering the main policy fields cursorily was published after a previous draft had been leaked. For energy policy, the changes are encouraging, but a lot of question marks remain. Craig Morris takes a look.
New study: Germans still support the Energiewende
The results of the most comprehensive survey of what the Germans think of their energy transition were published in November. Craig Morris says the researchers themselves were surprised by some of the findings.
COP23: Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Bonn
Climate change was again placed at the centre of global diplomacy as diplomats and ministers gathered in Bonn for the latest annual round of United Nations climate talks. COP23, the second “conference of the parties” since the Paris Agreement was struck, was a technical affair as countries continued to negotiate the finer details of how the agreement would work from 2020 onwards. Jocelyn Timperley of Carbon Brief covers the summit’s key outcomes.
The new German government must align the Energiewende with the European Union
Germany has been seen as a leader in renewable energy in the European Union, but there is still a long way to go. To revitalize both European and German energy transitions, Rebecca Bertram proposes three strategies for Germany’s new government to put in place at the EU level: better goals, binding goals, and the long-awaited coal phaseout.