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Finance Minister Christian Lindner – Climate money decision only in the next legislative period: Christian Lindner no longer sees any possibility in this legislative period of paying out the agreed climate money to citizens as compensation for the rising carbon tax. You can’t „spend the money twice“…: „From 2025, we can technically make a per capita payment. That puts us on schedule. Whether we politically reorganise the funding landscape in this direction will have to be decided after the next election.“ Lindner emphasised that the idea behind the climate money is to transfer the revenue from the CO2 price per capita back to the people. „At the moment, however, the revenue is being used to subsidise heating, building renovation, green steel production, charging points for electric cars and so on. In short, because one household receives funding for a heat pump, several hundred others cannot receive climate money that year.“ In his view, a decision on such a system change can only be made after the next general election. The debate about the climate money, which the traffic light coalition agreed as a social compensation mechanism in the coalition agreement, was reignited at the beginning of the year – because the CO2 price was raised from 30 to 45 euros per tonne at the start of the year. This meant that the coalition returned to the increase path that had already been agreed under the previous government, but was suspended last year due to the energy crisis. The creation of a social equalisation mechanism had been agreed in the coalition agreement between the coalition parties. Veronika Grimm, an economist, believes the climate money is important in order to avoid further jeopardising acceptance of climate protection. Social organisations are also calling for its rapid introduction. This morning, Linder also made proposals for streamlining the Supply Chain Act and reducing bureaucracy. He also criticised the coalition partner SPD for its economic and social policy ideas. noz.de , tablemedia.de
Özdemir admits mistakes: Doctors‘ surgeries are closed, trains are at a standstill and farmers are protesting. Have the traffic lights long since hit the wall with their policies? Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir at least admits mistakes in the latest decision to make cuts. Özdemir says of the decisions: „An excessive burden on agriculture can’t be imposed in such a holterdiepolter way, you don’t really do that.“ rnd.de
No ray of hope in the WEF report on global risks: According to risk analysts, business leaders and representatives of civil society, the world is facing dark times. In a survey conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF), almost 1,500 experts cited climate change and natural hazards, the growing division in many societies, economic insecurity and unwanted migration. There is also great concern about the misuse of artificial intelligence, according to the WEF report on global risks. handelsblatt.com
At 14.98 degrees Celsius
was the average annual temperature last year. Since humans began documenting the weather in 1850, not a single year has been as warm as 2023. With an average global temperature of 14.98 degrees, 2023 was 0.17 degrees warmer than the previous record year of 2016. With the exception of Australia, temperatures on all continents were record-breaking. The result: heat, fires and floods. If the 1.5-degree limit is exceeded in a few years, 2023 would no longer be a record year.
Alliance speaks out in favour of CCS technology: An alliance of environmental organisations, trade unions and industry has spoken out in favour of the controversial storage of CO2 in the ground or seabed. This is the only way to achieve the climate targets. In a joint position paper, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the environmental protection organisations Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have spoken out in favour of the controversial storage of captured carbon dioxide emissions. They are calling on the German government to utilise this so-called CCS technology. For the environmental organisations, this represents a change of course from their previous positions. tagesschau.de, focus.de
Global warming: according to the IEA, renewable energies must grow faster to meet climate targets. Although there is more and more electricity from renewable sources worldwide, the expansion is progressing too slowly. This is criticised by the International Energy Agency IEA. dlf.de
Why CO₂ emissions should fall regardless of economic output: a recent study shows: If the trend from 2023 continues, greenhouse gas emissions will fall, but prosperity and industry will be jeopardised at the same time. Experts from the Bertelsmann Foundation are calling for a stronger decoupling of industrial production and CO₂ emissions. Massive investment and government support are needed to achieve this. rnd.de
More expensive meat, cheaper organic food and energy drinks from the age of 16: citizens have drawn up nine recommendations on food policy for the Bundestag. They call for free school meals and food labelling, for example. From September to January, the Citizens‘ Council on Nutrition in Transition was commissioned by the Bundestag to discuss what should change in Germany’s food policy. The committee is the first of its kind to be commissioned and organised directly by parliament. zeit.de
BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Lust auf Verzicht
Why conscious consumption makes you happy and helps the climate
Climate change is progressing alarmingly worldwide, with regular heatwaves, floods and forest fires. Although surveys show that a majority of Germans are in favour of climate protection, in practice there is little willingness to make personal sacrifices. This contradiction between attitude and action is remarkable, as many apparently favour climate protection that neither burdens them financially nor changes their lifestyle.
Behavioural scientist Ingo Balderjahn analyses this phenomenon and explains why wasteful and climate-damaging consumption persists despite the growing awareness of climate problems. However, there are also people in Germany who consciously consume less, even though they could afford more. This minority voluntarily forego superfluous and short-lived goods without feeling that they are missing out on anything. On the contrary, a frugal consumption style leads to greater life satisfaction. oekom.de
Four years of the European Green Deal: How green is Europe? rnd.de
Extreme weather: Record damage caused by the climate crisis. energiezukunft.eu
Marshall Plan for the climate: SPD masterminds develop model to finance the energy transition despite the debt brake. spiegel.de
Summary proceedings: Federal Administrative Court stops construction of LNG pipeline off Rügen. berliner-zeitung.de
Small farmers demand objectivity: fair prices more important than diesel subsidies. zdf.de
New nuclear power plants: British government promises biggest nuclear power expansion in 70 years. faz.net
Transformation: Heat pumps instead of brakes, Stiebel Eltron receives five million euros. ndr.de
Costs for the transformation of the energy system: The transformation of the energy system in Germany will require investments of more than one trillion euros in the coming years. handelsblatt.com
CO2 savings: Climate protection contracts – what’s behind the funding instrument. produktion.de
The seventeen goals magazine tells inspiring stories about how people move the world and shows how everyone can make a contribution to achieving the sustainability goals.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK:
Microplastics in the environment and food: risks and solutions
Microplastics, which have now spread all over the world, can be found from the deepest oceans to the summit of Mount Everest. According to Tamara Galloway, Professor of Ecotoxicology at the University of Exeter in the UK, microplastics have been detected in almost every animal species studied. These tiny, often invisible plastic particles are present in drinking water, in the digestive tracts of fish and seabirds, in agricultural products and even in human blood. A new study reveals that our intake of microplastics through drinking is higher than previously thought, particularly in bottled water, where the concentration of microplastic particles is up to 100 times higher than found in previous studies.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK:
Financing climate damage: collective solutions are needed
The German government’s promise of aid is not enough. A plan for financing climate damage is needed. Compulsory insurance would be a start. Large parts of northern and eastern Germany are still under water. Insurers‘ damage statistics show that thunderstorms in Europe and North America caused more damage than ever before last year. Such events will increase. The climate crisis is here, it can be seen and experienced by everyone. And it can affect anyone and everyone.
… There is no way around the fact that private individuals, companies and, above all, the state must arm themselves against the damage that can be caused by extreme weather events. But no matter how well preventive measures are taken, absolute protection will not be possible. And today, not every house is insurable, especially not after a flood. That is why the discussion must finally begin about who will pay for the immense damage caused by floods, heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail or extreme amounts of snow. It is not an option for the victims to see for themselves how they cope. That would be the brutal individualisation of an intensifying collective problem. It is not enough for the federal government to promise aid payments after disasters – especially as citizens cannot rely on money reaching them. The German government needs to develop new models for financing climate damage. This is extremely complex and certainly not something that can be done overnight. taz.de
MOBILITY:
A turnaround in transport needs a turnaround – „Mobility is more than automobility“: an alliance of associations and trade unions is calling on the German government to set clear priorities in transport policy. The background to this is the first mobility summit held a year ago. The aim must be a legally enshrined mobility guarantee for all people in Germany, announced the alliance, of which the EVG is also a member, last Wednesday. evg-online.de
Mobility – 4 out of 10 use sharing services: Almost half of Germans (forty-three per cent) use sharing offers such as cars, bicycles, mopeds or e-scooters. A clear majority (eighty-four per cent) see sharing as an environmentally friendly mobility option, while only thirteen per cent believe that these services increase traffic and pollute the environment. Most Germans (eighty-seven per cent) see sharing services as a way to save money, although ten per cent believe that they are more likely to lead to higher expenses. Eighty-four per cent of respondents consider sharing options to be particularly suitable for everyday use, while twelve per cent see them as more suitable for holidays or business trips. These findings come from a representative survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom among one thousand and three people in Germany aged sixteen and over. bitkom.de
Spain wants to become Europe’s largest manufacturer of small electric cars: Cheap energy, massive state subsidies and expertise are attracting investors. Battery factories and production lines for e-cars are being built. handelsblatt.com
Study: Continuing to drive an old combustion engine is no more environmentally friendly than a new electric car. ecomento.de
Repairs too expensive: car hire company divests itself of 20,000 e-cars. US car rental company Hertz is adding combustion vehicles to its fleet again instead. derstandard.de
Influence of the car industry on climate protection: lobbyists in the fast lane: There are eleven countries in the world without speed limits, including Somalia, Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan. In ten of these countries, however, there are hardly any roads that permit high speeds. Germany, on the other hand, is the only country that allows unlimited driving and spends considerable tax revenue to make this possible. A speed limit in Germany could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions – between 1.9 and 5.4 million tonnes, depending on the design, as a study by the Federal Environment Agency shows. The German car industry has been influencing the country’s climate policy for years through a complex system. taz.de
HYDROGEN:
INES publishes brief analysis of the hydrogen core grid: On behalf of the Initiative Energien Speichern e.V. (INES), Aurora Energy Research GmbH has prepared a brief analysis of the hydrogen core grid. The initial assessments suggest that a more detailed analysis is necessary in order to identify the selection of robust core grid parts and to carry out the overbuilding of the grid and import capacities in a targeted manner. In particular, different demand and supply scenarios should be considered when planning the hydrogen network and the resulting import capacities in order to achieve efficient development of the hydrogen networks. energie.de
No further financial security for the hydrogen core network: The German government has decided not to grant any additional security measures for investments in the planned hydrogen core network. This is in contrast to the demands of the Federal Council, which had proposed a public law contract between the federal government and the network operators in order to guarantee long-term legal certainty. The Federal Ministry of Economics justifies its rejection by arguing that such a contract would expose the federal government to potential risks of damages, which is considered inappropriate. Instead, it argues that the current financing model offers sufficient security for investments. In addition, the Federal Council has proposed to relieve hydrogen network operators of their deductible under the amortisation account by reducing the deductible from a maximum of 24 percent to a maximum of 15 percent. However, this proposal was rejected by the Federal Ministry of Economics, as the current regulation of 24 per cent represents an appropriate distribution of risk. Furthermore, a proposal by the Federal Council to grant the federal government the right to take over the network in the event of cancellation of the amortisation account was rejected. The Ministry argues that this would lead to an inappropriate distribution of risk at the expense of the federal government.
The tough road to green hydrogen: a flagship project for green hydrogen has just failed in Schleswig-Holstein. But there is also some encouraging progress. Rotterdam wants to become a hub for green energy supplies. Pipelines are to transport the hydrogen from there to Germany. The large steelworks could become customers here, as they are already massively driving forward the conversion of their production. ndr.de
Hydrogen is a beacon of hope: the green gold of the desert awaits: Hydrogen from solar power for the time after oil and gas: A visit to the Middle East’s first plant near Dubai. srf.ch
Hydrogen aircraft over the Baltic Sea: The „BSR HyAirport“ project for a hydrogen infrastructure for climate-neutral flights in the Baltic Sea region was officially launched on Tuesday. Sixteen airports, airlines, research institutions and technology companies from Germany, Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Poland want to work together with 24 partners on the „future of aviation“. heise.de
LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:
New regulations on fuels of non-biogenic origin: The German government has presented amendments to the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (20/9844). In doing so, it is responding to new European requirements for the production of liquid and gaseous renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin for transport and for the method for determining the greenhouse gas savings of these fuels. In particular, there are new European requirements for the purchased electricity used for the production of liquid and gaseous renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin for transport, as well as for the method for determining the greenhouse gas savings of these fuels in comparison with fossil fuels. With the „New enactment of the Thirty-Seventh Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act“, the Federal Government intends to implement the European requirements one-to-one. In addition, the new version of the ordinance introduces a system for providing evidence of compliance with the requirements for the production and supply of liquid or gaseous renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin.
Mid-term review of transport policy: According to the Federal Government, a total of 18 legislative proposals from the area of responsibility of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV) have been introduced into parliamentary deliberations so far in the 20th legislative period (as of 10 November 2023). Of these, 14 projects have been finalised, according to the government’s answer (20/9952) to a minor question from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group (20/9171) on the federal government’s mid-term review of transport policy. more at bundestag.de
Proportion of trucks with alternative drive systems at 1.75 percent: Of the 3.94 million commercial vehicles (trucks and tractor units) registered in Germany, 68,921 (1.75 percent) have an alternative drive system (as of 1 July 2023). This is according to the German government’s answer (20/9976) to a minor interpellation by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group (20/9634). According to this, 68,312 vehicles have a battery-electric drive and 92 vehicles have a hydrogen fuel cell. There are also 517 plug-in hybrids. Nevertheless, the German government is sticking to its goal of one third of the kilometres travelled by commercial vehicles being electric or based on electricity-based fuels by 2030. Implementing this goal includes promoting the procurement of commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems, managing the development of a refuelling and charging infrastructure that is coordinated with the vehicle ramp-up and creating a targeted regulatory environment, „in particular the introduction of a CO2-based truck toll“, according to the response. With the directive on the promotion of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems and the associated refuelling and charging infrastructure for electrically powered commercial vehicles (KsNI directive), around one billion euros has so far been approved for the promotion of climate-friendly commercial vehicles and the associated refuelling and charging infrastructure, writes the German government. The planning and development of the charging infrastructure for e-trucks is a priority in the Charging Infrastructure Masterplan II.
Personnel development at the BMZ: Since Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) took office, more than 190 people in all career categories have been hired at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This is according to the Federal Government’s answer (20/9942) to a minor interpellation (20/9658) from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. According to this, the heads of seven sub-departments were advertised and filled internally during this period. The head of the communications staff was advertised and filled externally and the head of a further sub-department was advertised internally and externally. The Federal Government puts the number of senior civil servants currently employed by the BMZ at 448 women and 339 men and the number of heads of division (not including heads of division on leave or on foreign assignment) at 56 women and 49 men.
TAKEN LITERALLY:
Normal debts can be paid off by future generations as long as they don’t go through the roof. Climate debt is different. In order to meet the 1.5-degree global warming target, we not only have to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, but also remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. This is associated with high costs. It currently costs around 600 euros per tonne. This means that we are currently burdening future generations with high climate debt. This is significantly higher than the debt that the state is taking on in the financial markets.
Axel Friedrich, environmental expert, … most people have not understood that we are already incurring climate debt on an extreme scale today, which will have to be paid for in the future – among other things, by paying for damage caused by more extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts and floods. The devastating floods on the Ahr and Erft rivers in 2021 alone would have generated costs of around 40 billion euros. That shows the scale of what is at stake. Overall, he estimates that the removal of CO₂ through technical measures currently costs 600 euros per tonne. Germany currently emits around 700 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. That amounts to 420 billion euros. That is more than the 2023 federal budget.
Many are angry and many are already beyond that. They then turn away and at some point are considered unreachable. You have to realise where the consequences of political decisions are often reflected. Where are the necessary power lines, wind farms and solar fields being built, where are refugees being housed, where are hospitals being closed down at the same time, where are schools falling into disrepair, where are buses and regional trains not running? Not in the expensive neighbourhoods of big cities, but rather in the provinces. The worst thing is that many people who talk about politics in public, be they journalists, politicians or private individuals on social media, are not even aware of this fact.
Julie Zeh, author, (the) total lack of understanding between different living spaces in modern society is blatant. She has been observing this for many years. And it is having an increasingly political impact. Her novel „Unterleuten“, which she wrote between 2006 and 2016, is about the fact that politics is made in the cities and implemented in the provinces – often at the expense of the local people. When people get really angry, it usually has a long history.
AFRICA:
Morocco takes over the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council: Morocco was elected president of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday after beating off a challenge from South Africa. In a vote in Geneva on Wednesday, Moroccan Ambassador Omar Zniber was elected President of the Council with 30 votes in favour. His South African opponent, Mxolisi Nkosi, received only 17 votes.the election took place after Africa, whose turn it was to chair the Human Rights Council, could not agree on a single candidate. africanews.com
After the elections in the DR Congo: more chaos over the election results. The electoral commission cancels parts of the parliamentary election due to falsification. Is the result of the presidential election still correct? taz.de
Ethiopia and Somalia in dispute over a port deal: The controversial agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland would be a step towards the long-awaited recognition of the Somali region as an independent state. Somalia is outraged. Is a crisis imminent? dw.com
African bishops against blessing homosexuals: At the end of 2023, the Vatican proposed the blessing of homosexual couples by priests. The bishops of Africa speak of a „shock wave“ caused by the proposal – and reject it. The African bishops have overwhelmingly rejected the Vatican’s proposal to bless homosexual couples. This emerges from a statement by the President of the pan-African bishops‘ council SECAM, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo. tagesschau.de
South Africa accuses Israel of „genocide“ before UN court: The Israel-Hamas war is now also before the International Court of Justice. Israel faces genocide charges for the first time. South Africa makes harsh accusations before the highest UN court. dw.com
Africa’s forgotten crises: Barbie instead of Burkina Faso, Apple instead of Angola, Prince Harry instead of Zimbabwe. The aid organisation CARE analysed five million online press reports from the first nine months of last year – and found what it considers to be a dramatic imbalance. For example, 270,000 reports were dedicated to the new iPhone or the Barbie film, 215,000 to the biography of the British prince. In contrast, many major trouble spots, particularly in Africa, practically disappeared from the radar. Humanitarian disasters in ten African countries, such as Angola, the Central African Republic and Uganda, were the subject of just 77,000 articles. There are many explanations for this. For example, that people tend to crave good news in difficult times like these. Or that some of the „forgotten crises“ have been smouldering for a very long time and therefore lack news value. Andrea Barschdorf-Hager, CARE’s Managing Director in Austria, says: „As human beings, we always focus on what’s new, which is quite normal. But that doesn’t mean that the other crises no longer exist and can simply be forgotten.“ tagesschau.de
154 development projects with Madagascar since 2013: There have been 154 bilateral development cooperation measures and projects between Germany and the Republic of Madagascar since 2013. This is according to the Federal Government’s answer (20/9955) to a minor interpellation (20/9704). For detailed information on all bilateral development cooperation projects and programmes carried out since then, the German government refers to the transparency portal: https://www.transparenzportal.bund.de/de/detailsuche?date_min=2013-01-01&country=CD.
MORE KNOWLEDGE:
Researchers urge natural flood protection: Rivers in Germany keep bursting their banks. Experts believe that this is not least a technical failure – among other things, dyke systems constrict the rivers too much. Instead, the advice is to rely more on nature-based solutions. These would also have another advantage. In view of increasing flood risks due to climate change, researchers in Berlin are calling for rivers to be designed in a more natural way. The relocation of dykes, for example, is one option, said Martin Pusch from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin. This is a so-called nature-based solution. At the same time, there are also significant effects for nature conservation, for example the preservation of biodiversity. n-tv.de
Logging in Germany – between business and climate protection: In Germany, around a third of the country’s land area is covered by forests, which belong to the federal government, the federal states and private owners. Among the almost two million private forest owners in Germany, the majority are smaller pieces of land. However, there are also significant exceptions, such as the aristocratic Thurn und Taxis family, which is one of the largest private forest owners, owning 19,000 hectares. In total, 48 per cent of Germany’s forest area is privately owned, which places an important responsibility on forest owners. In view of climate change, forests urgently need to be reorganised. However, the German government’s plans for forest policy are not met with approval everywhere. zdf.de
Raccoons in Germany: What makes these invasive predators so dangerous: As dusk falls, raccoons leave their hiding places and go in search of food in the dark. Although they are rarely seen in the wild in Germany, they are still present and their population is constantly growing. They originally come from North America, but since the release of two pairs at Lake Edersee in Hesse in 1934, their numbers have increased considerably. It is estimated that over a million of these predators now live in German meadows and forests, although their exact numbers are difficult to determine. In the 2021/22 hunting season, for example, almost 202,000 raccoons were shot in Germany. These adaptable animals have now established themselves in all federal states and often pose a significant threat to native fauna. nationalgeographic.de
Norway: Bans dirty cruise ships. dw.com
Critical raw materials: What supply chain dependencies exist for raw materials that are important in the fight against climate change. fair-economics.de
Oenological discoveries: German wines are benefiting from climate change.n-tv.de
CALENDAR:
Hearing on the „Second Budget Financing Act 2024“
Time: Monday, 15 January 2024, 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Berlin, Paul-Löbe-Haus, conference room E 300On Monday, 15 January, the Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on the draft of the Second Budget Financing Act 2024 (20/9999). The Budget Committee is in charge of the draft bill; however, the Finance Committee, which is also providing advice, is dealing with the tax aspects. The hearing will therefore deal with the increase in air traffic tax on the one hand. On the other hand, the MPs want to obtain expert advice on the planned abolition of the diesel subsidy for agricultural and forestry businesses. (bal/11.01.2024)
Hearing on German development cooperation in the Balkans
Time: Wednesday, 17 January 2024, 9.40 a.m. to 10.40 a.m.
Venue: Berlin, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, conference room 1.302TOP 3 – public –
Briefing by the Federal Government (oral)
on German development co-operation in the Balkans
in conjunction with a conversation with
Dr Thorsten Klose-Zuber (Secretary General HELP e.V.) and
Julia Brückner (Regional Representative Balkan HELP)
Hearing on the results of the World Climate Conference (COP 28) in Dubai
Time: Wednesday, 17 January 2024, 11.55 a.m. to 12.50 p.m.
Place: Berlin, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, conference room 1.302Briefing by the Federal Government (oral)
on the results of the COP
in conjunction with an interview with Sara Ahmed (Head of the „Vulnerable 20“ Secretariat, V20)
THE LAST:
Peer Gynt in climate neutral:
The theatre is committed to sustainability: programme booklets are only available digitally, the stage scaffolding is second-hand and props such as mirrors, boards and arcs have already been used in other productions. The costumes consist mainly of casual clothing and items taken from the collection. Under the direction of Bernadette Sonnenbichler, the main director at Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf, Henrik Ibsen’s „Peer Gynt“ was realised as the first „climate-neutral production“. The aim is to set an example and sustainably reduce the CO2 footprint in the cultural sector. Artistic Director Wilfried Schulz emphasised at the premiere that this is just the beginning of a more comprehensive process.
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