The new climate minister faces major tasks – and is under pressure to act. The traffic light has already planned a lot for the first time. There is a lot at stake.
Berlin – Business and environmental associations have great expectations of the new climate protection minister Robert Habeck (Greens).
The head of the BDEW energy association, Kerstin Andreae, told the German Press Agency: “The goals that the new federal government has set for itself in terms of climate protection are extremely ambitious. There is therefore no more time to lose: Announcements must be turned into concrete laws as quickly as possible. “Greenpeace climate expert Andree Böhling said:” Robert Habeck knows that the climate crisis cannot be postponed, he will have to tackle this Herculean task without extensive training. ” The Federal Association of Wind Energy and the Federal Association of the Solar Industry called for decisions to be taken soon in order to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies.
Habeck took over his position on Wednesday. At the handover, he said that the change to climate neutrality was “the great structural task” of this time. There will also be short-term decisions, for example to support the economy plagued by the corona pandemic, as well as the first steps towards the faster expansion of renewable energies.
New government plans
The new government plans to increase the share of renewable energies in electricity consumption to 80 percent in 2030 – the previous goal was a share of 65 percent. Last year, according to industry information, renewable energies had a share of around 45 percent. With the expansion of wind power on land, in particular, there are currently many obstacles such as lengthy planning and approval procedures, insufficiently designated areas and conflicts with species protection. In addition, there are often protests against wind farms on site.
The coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP states that all necessary measures should be initiated in the first half of 2022 together with the federal, state and local governments in order to organize the goal of accelerated expansion of renewable energies and the provision of the necessary space.
“The expansion of wind energy has to accelerate quickly, said Hermann Albers, President of the Federal Wind Energy Association:” For this it is necessary to harvest the low hanging fruits. Rotary radio beacons, low-altitude helicopter routes and Bundeswehr radar systems are currently blocking around 1,300 wind turbines with an estimated total output of 6,700 megawatts. ”Habeck now has to tear down the blockade in the Ministry of Transport and Defense. “This would also prove that the new federal government is actually pulling together.”
One of the central demands from the coalition agreement is also the provision of at least two percent of the land area of each federal state for the expansion of wind energy, according to Albers. To this end, the association would like a round table with industry associations and the federal states, including the municipal umbrella organizations.
Expectations from Habeck
Andreae, chairman of the executive board of the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW), said that a key element on the way to achieving the climate targets is the acceleration of planning and approval processes. “Long process periods are currently one of the biggest obstacles to the energy transition.” Halving them – as announced by the coalition – could give the energy transition a new impetus.
The managing director of the Federal Solar Industry Association, Carsten Körnig, told the dpa: “A successful expansion of solar energy will become the litmus test of this climate coalition.” The prerequisite for this is that all solar roof covers fall as part of a 100-day immediate program.
Greenpeace climate expert Böhling said: “Habeck’s most pressing task will be to put together a package of robust immediate climate protection measures in the coming weeks. A significantly accelerated expansion of wind and solar energy must be set in motion and all doubts about an exit from coal by 2030 have to be dispelled. ”So far, the exit is planned by 2038 at the latest. Böhling said: “The traffic lights and least of all the greens can afford failure in terms of climate targets.” Dpa
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