The Greens under Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck are pushing for a ban on gas heating in Germany. There is also a struggle in the USA – over gas stoves.
Munich/Berlin/Washington – It’s rumbling in the traffic light federal government made up of SPD, Greens and FDP. And once again because of the polarizing heating plans of Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (The Greens). Because: As a supplement to the so-called Building Energy Act, the Vice-Chancellor now wants to be loud Picture also push ahead with a “law on heat planning and the decarbonisation of heat networks”.
Ban on gas heaters? Zoff in the traffic light coalition between the Greens and the FDP
There is already traffic light trouble after the FDP initially blocked the draft of the so-called heating law in the Bundestag and Habeck therefore publicly accused the liberals of “breach of word”. Both parties in the federal government are coalition partners. But on this point their ideas are obviously very far apart.
In Germany there is a struggle about a possibly foreseeable ban on gas heating. In the USA, on the other hand, a dispute has broken out over gas stoves. Things get heated. Next episode: Now a member of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives has sharply criticized the Republicans and made drastic allegations.
“They are on the front lines of our climate crisis, spreading lies about long overdue efficiency standards. The climate crisis is happening all around us. Republican inaction is costing lives,” Cori Bush, 46, of Missouri, wrote in a Twitter post.
Ban on gas stoves? Fierce debate in the USA
Bush accused the Republicans loudly Washington Examiner suggest that they are more concerned about the devices than about climate change. The Democrats’ proposal (draft law) on legislation regulating gas stoves is not about an explicit ban on gas stoves, but about regulation for better control of “indoor air pollution,” she said, according to the report.
They are on the front lines of our climate crisis, spreading lies about long overdue efficiency standards.
“The proposed regulation is not a ban on gas stoves,” said Bush during a hearing in the House of Representatives: “We regulate indoor air pollution.” Procurement of new gas stoves for cooking debated. Loud Washington Examiner debate began in Congress after the Department of Energy unveiled a proposed “Energy Policy and Conservation Program” in February.
USA: Democrats and Republicans argue over gas stoves
The program would allow the Department of Energy to set new efficiency and energy saving standards for gas stoves. The department estimates that if such a law were enacted, at least half of the cooker models in the US could no longer be sold in stores. The Republicans seem to be strictly against it. Energy and Trade House Speaker Cathy McMorris Rodgers was quoted by the newspaper as saying: “Forcing people to switch to expensive alternatives will only further increase the cost to hard-working families and the most vulnerable communities harm disproportionately.”
The debate is still in its infancy in the United States. In Germany, on the other hand, there have been harsh discussions for weeks. In the meantime, the Greens had to backtrack that the ban should only apply to heating systems that are to be newly installed in houses. And not for existing ones, even if they are already old. Nevertheless, Habeck and Greens leader Omid Nouripour repeatedly confirmed that the party in the federal government wants to ban new oil and gas heating systems as early as 2024.
Traffic light dispute over gas heating: Robert Habeck is planning the next draft law
In the latest draft law, Habeck is loud Picture now demands on the federal states and the municipalities. According to his ideas, they should determine “annual final energy consumption of the last three years in kilowatt hours per year”. Conversely, this would mean for owners and tenants that they would have to report their energy consumption over the last three years to the relevant authorities. The heating behavior of each individual household would thus be put to the test.
According to the draft law, municipalities should also Develop heat plans that will be phased in by 2045. However, there is still heated debate within the coalition about the planned building energy law. Whether it can be adopted before the summer break is open. The Building Energy Act was passed in the cabinet in April. But now it has to pass the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. In simplified terms, the draft law states that anyone who builds a new building from January 2024 must ensure that the newly installed heating system produces 65 percent heat from renewable energies – for example using so-called heat pumps. (pm)
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